JAN  18  1918 
%06ICAL  S 


BV  4501  .G645  1913 
Gordon,  S.  D.  1859-1936. 
Quiet  talks  on  following  th 
Christ 




QUIET  TALKS 

ON 

Following  The  Christ 


sr 
S.   D.  "GORDON 

Author  of 

"  Quiet  Talks  on  Power,' '  "  Quiet  Talks  on  Prayer," 

"  Quiet  Talks  on  Our  Lord's  Return,'"  etc. 


NEW  YORK       CHICA  GO        TORONTO 

FLEMING    H.   REVELL   COMPANY 

LONDON       AND       EDINBURGH 


Copyright,  1913,  by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York  :  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  17  North  Wabash  Ave. 
Toronto:.  25  Richmond  Street,  W. 
London  :  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh  :     100    Princes    Street 


CONTENTS 


Introduction         .... 
I.     The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before 
II.    The  Long,  Rough  Road  He  Trod 

III.  The  Pleading  Call  to  Follow 

IV.  What  Following  Means 

i.   A  Look  Ahead 

2.  The  Main  Road 

3.  The  Valleys 

4.  The  Hilltops 

V.  Shall. We  Go?      . 

VI.  Finger-Posts 

VII.  Fellow- Followers 

VIII.  The  Glory  of  the  Goal, -Face  to  Face 


7 
9 

44 

55 

77 

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95 

121 

158 

170 
184 
210 
232 


INTRODUCTION 

These  talks  have  been  given,  in  substance,  at 
various  gatherings  in  Great  Britain,  Continental 
Europe,  and  parts  of  the  Far  East,  during  the 
past  four  years.  The  simple  directness  of  the 
spoken  word  has  been  allowed  to  stand.  Por- 
tions of  chapters  three,  four,  six,  and  eight  have 
appeared  at  various  times  in  "  The  Sunday 
School  Times/' 

If  any  who  read  may  find  some  practical  help 
through  the  Master's  gracious  touch  upon  these 
simple  worlds,  they  are  earnestly  asked  to  add 
their  prayers  that  that  same  gracious  touch  may 
be  felt  by  others  wherever  these  talks  may  go. 


THE  LONE  MAN  WHO  WENT 
BEFORE 

A  Call  to  Friendship. 

One  day  I  watched  two  young  men,  a  Japanese 
and  an  American,  pacing  the  deck  of  a  Japanese 
liner  bound  for  San  Francisco.  Their  heads 
were  close  together  and  bent  down,  and  they 
were  talking  earnestly.  The  Japanese  was  say- 
ing, "  Oh,  yes,  I  believe  all  that  as  a  theory,  but 
is  there  power  to  make  a  man  live  it  ?  " 

He  was  an  officer  of  the  ship,  one  of  the  finest 
boats  on  the  Pacific.  The  American  was  a  young 
fellow  who  -had  gone  out  to  Japan  as  a  govern- 
ment teacher,  and  when  his  earnest  sort  of  Chris- 
tianity led  to  his  dismissal  he  remained,  and  still 
remains,  as  a  volunteer  missionary.  With  his 
rare  gift  in  personal  touch  he  had  won  the  young 
officer's  confidence,  and  was  explaining  what 
Christianity  stood  for,  when  the  Japanese  politely 
interrupted  him  with  his  question  about  power. 
The  tense  eagerness  of  his  manner  and  voice  let 
one  see  the  hunger  of  his  heart.  He  had  high 
ideals  of  life,  but  confessed  that  every  time  he 
was  in  port,  the  shore  temptations  proved  too 
much,  and  he  always  came  back  on  board  with  a 
9 


io  On  Following  the  Christ 

feeling  of  bitter  defeat.  He  had  read  about 
Christianity  and  believed  it  good  in  theory.  But 
he  knew  nothing  of  its  power. 

Through  his  new  American  friend  he  came 
into  personal  touch  with  Christ,  then  and  there. 
And  up  to  the  day  we  docked  he  put  in  his  spare 
time  bringing  other  Japanese  to  his  friend's 
stateroom,  and  there  more  than  one  of  them 
knelt,  and  came  into  warm  touch  of  heart  with 
the  Lord  Jesus. 

Just  so  our  Lord  Jesus  draws  men,  Oriental 
and  Occidental  alike.  Just  so  He  drew  men 
when  He  was  down  here.  He  had  great  draw- 
ing power.  Men  came  eagerly  wherever  they 
could  find  Him. 

He  drew  all  sorts  of  men.  He  drew  the  Jews, 
to  whom  He  belonged  racially.  He  drew  the 
aggressive,  domineering  Romans,  and  the  gentler 
cultured  Greeks.  He  drew  the  half-breed  Sa- 
maritans, who  were  despised  by  both  Jew  and 
foreigner,  as  not  being  either  one  thing  or  the 
other.  The  military  men  and  the  civilians,  the 
cultured  and  the  unlettered,  the  official  class  and 
those  in  private  life,  all  alike  felt  the  strong  pull 
upon  their  hearts  of  His  presence. 

The  pure  of  heart,  like  gentle  Mary  of  Beth- 
any, and  the  guileless  Nathanael,  were  drawn  to 
Him.  And  the  very  opposite,  those  openly  bad  in 
their  life,  couldn't  resist  His  presence,  and  the 
call  away  from  their  low,  bad  level,  but  eagerly 
took  His  hand  and  came  up.  Fisherfolk  and 
farmers,  dwellers  in  the  city  and  country,  schol- 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     1 1 

ars  and  tradesmen,  crude  and  refined,  richly  clad 
and  ragged, — all  sorts  contentedly  rubbed  el- 
bows and  jostled  each  other  in  the  crowds  that 
came  to  listen,  and  stayed  to  listen  longer, 
and  then  went  away  to  come  back  "again  for 
more. 

This  was  why  Ke  came — to  draw  men  to 
Himself.  Our  Lord  Jesus  was  the  face  of  God 
looking  longingly  into  men's  faces.  And  they 
couldn't  withstand  the  appeal  of  that  gentle 
strong  face.  He  was  the  voice  of  God  talking 
into  men's  ears ;  and  the  music  of  that  low,  quiet 
voice  thrilled  and  thralled  their  hearts.  He  was 
the  hand  of  God,  strong  and  warm,  reaching 
down  to  take  men  by  the  hand  and  give  them  a 
strong  lift  up  and  back  to  the  old  Eden  life.  And, 
in  time,  as  men  put  their  hand  in  His,  they  came 
to  feel  the  little  knotted  place  in  the  palm  of 
that  outstretched  hand,  and  the  feel  of  it  went 
strangely  into  their  inmost  being.  He  was  the 
heart  of  God,  tender  and  true,  beating  rhythmic- 
ally in  time  and  tune  with  the  human  heart.  And 
the  music  had,  and  has,  strange  power  of  appeal 
to  human  hearts,  and  power  to  sway  human  lives 
like  a  great  wind  in  the  trees. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  was  the  person  of  God  in  hu- 
man shape  and  human  garb,  come  down  close,  to 
draw  us  men  back  again  to  the  old  trysting  place 
under  the  Tree  of  Life.  And  in  every  genera- 
tion, and  every  corner  of  the  earth,  then,  and 
ever  since  then,  men  of  every  colour  and  sort 
have  come  back,  and  found  how  His  presence 


12  On  Following  the  Christ 

eases  the  tug  of  life  on  many  a  steep  roadway, 
and  more,  much  more.1 

And  our  Lord  Jesus  drew  men  into  personal 
friendship  with  Himself.  He  didn't  like  the  long 
range  way  of  doing  things.  Keeping  men  at 
arm's  length  never  suited  Him.  He  gave  the  in- 
ner heart  touch,  and  He  longed  for  the  touch  of 
the  innermost  heart.  He  was  our  friend.  He 
asked  that  we  be  His  friends,  real  friends  of  the 
rare  sort,  of  which  one's  life  has  only  a  few. 

And  He  asked,  too,  that  all  else  that  we 
brought  to  Him  should  be  that  which  grew  out 
of  this  personal  friendship.  He  gave  and  did 
all  that  He  did  and  gave,  because  He  was  our 
friend.  He  asked  only  for  what  grew  out  of  a 
real  heart  friendship  with  Himself.  He  longed 
to  have  us  give  all,  yet  only  what  our  hearts 
couldn't  hold  back.  His  friendship  has  one  thing 
peculiar  to  itself.  He  has  no  favourites,  in  our 
common  thought  of  that  word,  among  the  count- 
less numbers  who  have  come  to  be  included  in 
His  inner  circle  of  friends.  Yet  He  gives  to 
each  such  a  distinctive  personal  touch  of  His 
own  heart  that  you  feel  yourself  to  be  on  closest 
terms.  He  is  nearer  and  closer  than  any 
other,  and  your  longing  is  to  be  as  near  and 
close  to  Him  in  life  as  He  is  to  you  in  His 
heart.2 

'John  i.  i,  2,  14,  18;  Colossians  i.  15;  II  Corinthians 
iv.  4;  Philippians  ii.  6;  Hebrews  i.  3. 

2  John  xv.  15;  Psalm  xxv.  14;  Isaiah  xli.  8;  II  Chron- 
icles xx.  7;  James  ii.  23. 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     13 

Now,  because  we  are  His  friends  and  He  is 
our  friend,  He  calls  us  to  follow  Him.  It  is 
a  privilege  of  friendship.  He  would  share  with 
you  and  with  me  the  things  of  His  own  heart 
and  life.  He  wants  to  have  us  come  close  up  to 
Himself,  and  live  close  up.  And  the  only  way 
we  can  do  it  is  by  giving  a  glad  "  Yes  "  to  His 
invitation,  and  following  so  close  that  we  shall 
be  up  to  Himself.  Nothing  less  than  this  con- 
tents His  longing. 

But  there  is  more  than  friendship  here.  He 
has  a  plan  of  action  in  His  heart.  It  is  a  wide- 
reaching  plan,  clear  beyond  our  idea  of  what 
wide-reaching  means.  It  is  nothing  less  than  a 
plan  for  the  whole  world,  the  entire  race,  for 
winning  it  up  to  the  old  Eden  life  of  purity  and 
of  close  walking  with  God.  That  plan  is  the 
passion  of  His  great  heart.  He  has  held  nothing 
back — spared  nothing — that  it  might  be  done. 
He  is  thinking  of  that  plan  as  He  comes  eagerly 
to  you  and  me,  now,  all  afresh,  and  with  His 
heart  in  His  voice  says  "  Follow  Me."  This  is 
a  bit  of  His  plan  for  me  and  for  you — that  we 
shall  be  partners  with  Him  in  His  plan  for  the 
world. 

And  yet — and  yet — this  helping  Him,  this 
partnership,  this  working  with  Him  in  His  plan, 
is  to  be  because  of  our  friendship,  His  and  mine, 
His  and  yours.  It  is  a  more  than  friendship  He 
is  thinking  of.  But  that  more  is  through  the 
friendship.  It  grows  out  of  the  friendship. 
Only  so  does  it  work  out  His  real  plan. 


14  On  Following  the  Christ 

Climbing  the  Hilltops. 

Now  this  "  Follow  Me  "  of  His,  if  taken  into 
one's  life,  and  followed  up,  will  come  to  mean 
two  things.  There  are  two  great  things  that 
stand  sharply  out  in  our  Lord  Jesus'  life  down 
here,  His  characteristics  and  His  experiences. 
I  mean  what  He  was  in  Himself;  and  what  He 
went  through,  suffered,  enjoyed,  and  accom- 
plished ;  the  Man  Himself,  and  the  Man's  experi- 
ences. These  are  the  two  things  about  which 
these  simple  talks  will  be  grouped.  Our  Lord 
Jesus  wants  us  to  follow  that  we  may  climb  up 
the  hill  as  high  as  He  did  in  these  things. 

Following  means  climbing.  A  friend  has  told 
recently  of  a  journey  taken  to  a  certain  village 
in  New  England  from  which,  she  had  been  told,  a 
fine  view  could  be  got  of  the  White  Mountains. 
On  arrival  it  seemed  that  a  low  hill  completely 
shut  out  the  view,  to  her  intense  disappointment. 
But  her  companion,  by  and  by,  called  from  the 
top  of  the  low  hill  and  eagerly  beckoned  her  to 
come  up.  A  bit  of  climbing  quickly  brought 
her  to  where  the  magnificent  beauty  of  the  moun- 
tains broke  upon  her  delighted  eyes. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  climbed  the  hilltops,  both  in 
His  character  and  in  His  experiences.  He  wants 
us  to  share  those  rare  hilltops  with  Him.  He 
has  gone  away  ahead  of  any  other.  He  is  the 
Lone  Man  in  both  character  and  experiences. 
And  in  some  of  His  experiences  He  will  ever 
remain  the  lone  occupant  of  the  hilltop.    But  He 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     15 

is  eager  for  our  companionship.  He  longs  for 
the  personal  touch.  He  wants  us  to  have  all  He 
has  got.  He  has  blazed  a  way  through  the  thicket 
where  there  was  no  path  before.  He  left  the 
plain  marks  on  the  trees  as  He  went  through,  so 
we  could  surely  find  the  way.  And  now  He 
eagerly  beckons  us  to  follow. 

But  following  means  climbing.  It's  a  hill  road, 
sometimes  down  hill,  sometimes  up  hill.  Which 
makes  stiffer  climbing?  Usually  the  one  you  are 
doing  seems  the  harder.  Sometimes  the  road  is 
a  dead  level  between  hills.  And  dead  level  walk- 
ing— the  monotonous  dead-a-way,  with  no  brac- 
ing air,  no  inspiring  outlook — is  often  much 
harder  than  down  hill  or  up.  And  so  it  too  is 
climbing.  Following  means  climbing.  He 
climbed.  He  made  the  high  climb  all  alone.  No 
other  ever  had  the  courage  to  climb  so  high  as 
He.  It's  easier  since  He  has  smoothed  down  the 
road  with  His  own  feet ;  yet  it  isn't  easy ;  still  it  is 
easier  than  not  climbing;  that  is,  when  you 
reckon  the  whole  thing  up — with  Him  in. 

Now  He  asks  you  and  me  to  climb.  He  cannot 
climb  for  you.  That  is,  I  mean  He  cannot  do  the 
climbing  you  ought  to  do.  He  has  climbed  for 
us,  marked  out  the  hill  path,  and  made  it  possible 
for  us  to  climb  up  too.  But  the  after-climbing 
He  cannot  do  for  us.  Each  must  do  his  own 
climbing.  So  lungs  grow  deeper,  and  heart-ac- 
tion stronger,  and  cheeks  clearer,  and  muscles 
firmer.  Step  by  step  we  must  pull  up,  maybe 
through    a    fog,    with    no   view   of   beauty,   no 


1 6  On  Following  the  Christ 

bracing  air  yet,  only  His  strong  beckoning 
hand. 

But  those  who  reach  up  and  get  hold  of  hands 
with  Him,  and  get  up  even  to  some  of  the  lower 
reaches  of  the  climb,  stand  with  full  hearts  and 
dumb  lips.  They  can't  find  words  to  tell  the 
exhilaration  of  the  climb,  the  bracing  air,  the  far 
outlook,  and,  yet  more,  the  wondrous  presence  of 
the  Chief  Climber,  even  though  there's  a  bit  of 
smarting  of  face  and  hands  where  the  thorny 
tanglewood  tore  a  bit  as  you  went  by. 

Just  now  I  want  you  to  come  with  me  for  a 
bit  of  a  look  at  the  Lone  Man,  who  has  gone  be- 
fore. I  mean  at  the  Man  Himself.  We  want  to 
take  a  look  at  the  characteristics  of  His  life; 
what  the  Man  was  in  His  character. 

And  please  understand  me  here.  Following 
does  not  mean  that  we  are  to  try  to  imitate  these 
characteristics.  No,  it's  something  both  simpler 
and  easier,  and  deeper  and  better  than  that.  It 
means  that,  as  we  companion  with  Him  daily, 
these  same  traits  will  appear  in  us.  It  is  not 
to  be  imitation  simply,  good  as  that  might  seem, 
yet  always  bringing  a  sense  of  failure,  and  that 
sense  the  thing  you  remember  most.  It  is  to 
be  some  One  living  His  life  in  you,  coming  in 
through  the  open  door  of  your  will.  Your  part 
is  opening  up,  and  keeping  open,  listening  and 
loving  and  obeying.  The  touchstone  of  the 
"  Follow  Me  "  life  is  not  imitation  but  following; 
not  copying  but  obeying;  not  struggle — though 
there    will   be    struggle — but   companionship,    a 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     17 

companionship  which  nothing  is  allowed  to  take 
the  fine  edge  off  of. 

And  please  remember,  too,  the  meaning  for 
us  sinful  men  of  these  characteristics  of  His. 
With  us  character  is  a  result  of  choice,  and  then 
nearly  always — or  should  I  cut  out  that 
"  nearly  "  ?  the  earnest  man  in  the  thick  of  the 
fight  finds  no  "  nearlys  " — it's  always  with  him — 
character  is  always  the  result  of  a  fight  to  keep  to 
the  choice  decided  upon. 

Now  with  greatest  reverence  for  our  Lord 
Jesus,  let  me  say,  it  was  so  with  Him.  He  was 
as  truly  God  as  though  not  man.  Yet  He  lived 
His  life, — He  insisted  on  living  His  life,  on  the 
human  level.1  He  was  as  truly  human  as  though 
not  peculiarly  divine.  He  had  the  enormous  ad- 
vantage of  a  virgin  birth,  a  divine  fatherhood 
with  a  human  motherhood.  And,  be  it  said  with 
utmost  reverence,  He  needed  that  advantage  for 
the  terrific  conflict  and  the  tremendous  task  of 
His  life,  such  as  no  other  has  known.  But  His 
character  as  a  man — the  thing  we  are  to  look  at 
now — was  a  result  of  choice,  and  choice  insisted 
upon  against  terrible  odds. 

This  gives  new  meaning  to  His  "  Follow  Me." 
He  went  the  same  sort  of  road  that  we  must  go. 
He  insisted  on  treading  our  road.  It  was  not 
one  made  easier  for  His  specially  prepared  feet. 
It  was  the  common  earth  road  every  man  must 
go,  who  will.    And  so  the  way  He  went  we  can 

Matthew  iv.  4;  where  the  emphatic  word  is  "man," 
standing  in  contrast  with  "  Son  of  God  "  in  verse  3. 


1 8  On  Following  the  Christ 

go  if  we  will,  every  step  of  it.  By  His  help 
working  through  our  wills,  we  can,  and,  please 
God,  surely  we  will. 

'The  Dependent  Life. 


There  were  three  traits  in  His  character  up- 
zvard,  that  is  in  His  relation  with  His  Father. 
First  of  all  He  chose  to  live  the  dependent  life. 
He  recognized  that  everything  He  was,  and  had, 
and  could  do,  was  received  from  the  Father,  and 
could  be  at  its  true  best  only  as  the  Father's 
direct  touch  was  upon  it.  This  was  the  atmos- 
phere in  which  all  His  human  powers  would  do 
their  best.  He  had  nothing  of  Himself,  and  could 
do  nothing  of  Himself.  This  is  the  plan  the 
Father  has  made  for  human  life  and  effort.1  Our 
Lord  Jesus  recognized  this  and  lived  it.  Our 
common  word  for  this  is  humility.  Humility  is 
a  matter  of  relationship.  It  means  keeping  one's 
relationship  with  the  Father  clear  and  dominant. 
And  this  in  turn  radically  affects  and  controls  our 
relationship  with  our  fellows. 

There  were  three  degrees  or  steps  in  the  de- 
pendent life  He  chose  to  live.  There  was  the 
giving  up  part,  then  the  accepting  for  Himself 
the  plan  of  human  life,  and  then  accepting  it 
even  to  the  extent  of  yielding  to  wrong  and 
shameful  treatment,  without  attempting  to  assert 
His  rights  against  such  treatment.     These  were 

1  Acts  xvii.  28 ;  Job  xii.  10 ;  Daniel  v.  23  1.  c. ;  Psalm 
cxxxix.  1-16. 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     19 

the  three  steps  in  His  humility.  In  Paul's  strik- 
ing phrase,  He  "  emptied  out  "  of  Himself  all  He 
had  in  glory  with  the  Father  before  coming  to  the 
earth ;  He  decided  to  come  to  the  human  level 
and  live  fully  the  human  life  of  utter  dependence ; 
and  He  carried  this  to  the  extent  of  being  wholly 
dependent  on  the  Father  for  righting  the  wrongs 
done  Him.1 

This  is  God's  plan  for  the  human  life.  It  is 
to  be  a  dependent  life.  It  actually  is  a  dependent 
life,  utterly  dependent  upon  Him.  It  is  to  be 
lived  so.  Then  only  is  the  fragrance  of  it  gotten. 
It  is  part  of  the  dependent  life — the  true  human 
life — that  we  depend  on  the  Father  for  vindica- 
tion when  wronged,  as  for  everything  else  2 

Our  Lord  Jesus  chose  to  live  this  life.  There 
was  an  entire  absence  of  the  self-spirit,  that  is 
the  self-assertive,  the  self-confident  spirit.  There 
was  a  remarkable  confidence  in  action,  but  it  was 
confidence  in  His  Father's  unfailing  response  to 
His  requests  or  needs.  This  sense  of  utter  de- 
pendence was  natural  to  Him;  as  indeed  it  is 
natural  to  man  unhurt  by  sin.  And  then  He 
carefully  cultivated  it.  As  He  came  in  contact 
with  the  very  opposite  all  around  Him,  He  set 
Himself — indeed  He  had  to  set  Himself — to 
keeping  this  sense  of  dependence  untainted,  un- 
hurt by  His  surroundings. 

^hilippians  ii.  6-8. 

2Romans  xii.  19;  Deuteronomy  xxxii.  35;  Psalm 
xciv.  1 ;  Proverbs  xx.  22 ;  I  Peter  ii.  23 ;  I  Corinthians 
xiii.  5,  second  clause. 


20  On  Following  the  Christ 

Now  there  were  three  things  which  naturally 
grew  out  of  this  dependent  life,  or  which  natu- 
rally are  part  of  it.  One  was,  the  sense  of  His 
Father,  and  of  His  Father's  presence.  In  a 
perfectly  simple  natural  way,  He  was  always 
conscious  of  His  Father's  presence.  Is  this  the 
meaning — one  meaning — of  "  blessed  are  the 
pure  in  heart  for  they  shall  see  God"?  And 
then  He  doubtless  set  Himself  to  cultivate  this, 
as  an  offset  to  what  He  found  around  Him.  He 
would  quietly  look  up  and  speak  to  the  Father  in 
the  midst  of  a  crowd.1  This  was  the  natural 
thing  to  do.  He  was  more  conscious  of  the 
Father's  presence  than  of  the  crowd  pressing  in 
to  get  near.  When  He  was  speaking  to  the 
crowd  He  knew  the  Father  too  was  listening. 
He  felt  the  Father  watching  as  He  helped  the 
people.  This  was  the  natural  thing  with  Him, 
the  presence  of  the  Father. 

With  this  there  went  a  second  thing,  the 
habit  of  getting  alone  to  talk  things  over  with 
the  Father.  The  common  word  for  this  is  prayer. 
Without  doubt  His  whole  outer  life  grew  out  of 
His  inner  secret  talking  things  out  with  the 
Father.  Everything  was  passed  in  review  here, 
first  of  all.  This  naturally  grew  out  of  the  con- 
sciousness of  His  Father's  presence,  and  this  in 
turn  increased  that  consciousness.  So  He  was  in 
the  habit  of  looking  at  everything  through  His 
Father's  eyes. 

And  with  these  two,  there  was  plainly  a  third 

1  John  xi.  41,  42;  xii.  27,  28;  Luke  x.  21. 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     2 1 

thing,  a  settled  sense  of  the  power,  the  authority, 
of  God's  written  Word.  It  was  not  simply  that 
He  did  not  question  it,  but  there  was  a  deep- 
rooted  sense  grown  down  into  His  very  being  that 
God  was  speaking  in  the  Book,  and  that  this 
revelation  of  Himself  and  His  will  was  the  thing 
to  govern  absolutely  one's  life.  This  points  back 
to  a  study  of  the  Book.  Doubtless  that  Nazareth 
shop  was  a  study  shop  too.  He  quoted  readily 
and  freely  from  all  portions  of  the  Old  Testament 
Bible.  He  seemed  saturated  with  both  its  lan- 
guage and  its  spirit.  The  basis  of  such  familiar- 
ity would  be  long,  painstaking,  prayerful  study. 

These  three  things  naturally  grew  out  of  the 
dependent  life  He  had  deliberately  chosen  to  live 
and  were  a  part  of  it.  They  were  necessary  to  it. 
These  are  the  lungs  and  the  heart  of  the  de- 
pendent life. 

Now  His  "Follow  Me  "  does  not  mean  merely 
that  we  try  to  imitate  Him  in  all  this.  We  will 
naturally  long  to  do  so.  And  He  is  the  example 
we  will  ever  be  eager  to  follow.  But  the  mean- 
ing goes  deeper  than  this.  It  means  that  as  we 
really  come  close  up  in  the  road  behind  Him  this 
will  come  to  be  the  natural  atmosphere  of  our 
lives.  We  let  Him  in,  and  His  presence  within, 
yielded  to  and  cultivated  and  obeyed,  will  work 
this  sort  of  thing  out  in  our  lives.  We  will 
come  to  recognize,  and  then  to  feel  deep  down 
in  our  spirit,  how  dependent  we  are  upon  Him  in 
everything.  We  will  gradually  come  to  realize 
intensely   that    the    dependent    life    is    the   true 


22  On  Following  the  Christ 

natural  life.  It  is  God's  plan.  It  reveals  won- 
drously  His  love.  It  draws  out  wondrously  our 
love,  and  radically  changes  the  whole  spirit  of  the 
life. 


Poor — Except  in  Spirit. 


Now  of  course  all  this  is  in  sharpest  contrast 
to  the  common  spirit  of  life  as  men  live,  then  and 
now.  The  spirit  that  dominates  human  life  every- 
where is  a  spirit  of  ^dependence.  And  this 
seems  intensified  in  our  day  to  a  terrific  degree. 
There  is,  of  course,  a  good  independence  in  our 
dealings  with  our  fellows.  But  this  is  carried 
to  the  extreme  of  independence  of  every  one, 
even — say  it  softly — of  God  Himself.  Criticis- 
ing God,  ignoring  Him,  leaving  Him  severely  out 
so  far  as  we  are  concerned, — this  has  become  the 
commonplace.  If  for  a  moment  He  ignored  us, 
how  quickly  things  would  go  to  pieces !  This  has 
come  to  be  the  dominant  spirit  of  the  whole  race 
to  a  degree  more  marked  than  ever  before,  if 
that  be  possible. 

It  seems  to  come  into  life  early.  I  have  seen 
a  little  tot,  whom  I  could  with  no  inconvenience 
have  tucked  under  my  arm,  walking  down  the 
road,  head  up  in  the  air,  breathing  out  an  aggres- 
sive self-confidence,  and  defiance  of  all  around, 
worthy  of  one  of  the  old-time  kings.  And  I  rec- 
ognized that  he  had  simply  absorbed  the  atmos- 
phere in  which  his  four  brief  years  had  been 
lived. 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     23 

This  has  come  to  be  the  inbred  spirit  of  man- 
kind. Everywhere  this  proud,  self-assertive,  self- 
sufficient,  self-confident,  self-aggressive  spirit  is 
found,  in  varying  degree.  It  is  coupled  some- 
times with  laughable  ignorance;  sometimes  with 
real  learning  and  wisdom  and  culture.  It  is  em- 
phasized sometimes  the  more  by  school  training, 
and  other  such  advantages.  But  through  all 
these  accidental  things  it  remains, — the  dominant 
human  characteristic.  The  chief  letter  in  man's 
alphabet  is  the  one  next  after  h,  spelled  and  writ- 
ten with  a  large  capital.  The  yellow  fever — the 
fever  for  gold — so  increasingly  epidemic,  is  at 
heart  a  bit  of  the  same  thing.  The  money  gives 
power,  and  power  gives  a  certain  independence 
of  others,  and  then  a  certain  compelling  of  others 
to  be  dependent  on  the  one  who  has  the  money 
and  wields  the  power.  Men  everywhere  say  just 
exactly  what  they  are  specially  warned  against 
saying,  "my  power  and  the  might  of  my  hand 
hath  gotten  me  this  wealth."  They  forget  the 
words  following  this  in  the  old  Book  of  God. 
"  But  thou  shalt  remember  the  Lord  thy  God, 
for  it  is  He  that  giveth  thee  power  to  get 
wealth."  1 

This  seems  to  be  the  picture  that  underlies  that 
phrase,  "  poor  in  spirit,"  which  the  Master  de- 
clared to  be  so  blessed.2  He  is  trying  to  woo  men 
away  from  the  thing  that  is  dominating  those  all 
around  Him.  I  have  puzzled  a  good  bit  over 
the  phrase  to  find  out  just  what  was  in  the  Mas- 

^euteronomy  viii.  17,  18.  2Matthew  v.  3. 


24  On  Following  the  Christ 

ter's  mind.  Emphasizing-  the  word  "  spirit " 
seems  to  bring  out  the  meaning.  The  blessedness 
is  not  in  being  poor,  but  in  a  certain  spirit  that 
may  control  a  man.  We  are  all  poor  in  every- 
thing except  spirit. 

The  last  degree  of  poverty  is  to  be  a  pauper. 
Now,  the  simple  truth  is  that  we  are  all — every 
last  man  of  us — paupers  in  everything.  We 
haven't  a  thing  we  haven't  got  from  some  one 
else.  We  are  beneficiaries  to  the  last  degree,  de- 
pendent on  the  bounty  of  Another.  We  are 
paupers  in  life  itself.  Our  life  came  to  us  in  the 
first  instance  from  the  creative  Hand,  through 
the  action  of  others,  and  it  is  being  sustained 
every  moment  by  the  same  Hand.  We  had  noth- 
ing to  do  with  its  coming,  and,  while  we  in- 
fluence our  life  by  living  in  accord  with  certain 
physical  laws,  still  the  life  itself  is  all  the  time 
being  supplied  to  us  directly  by  the  same  unseen 
Hand. 

We  are  paupers  in  ability,  in  virtue,  in  charac- 
ter, in  fact  in  everything.  We  own  nothing;  we 
only  hold  it  in  trust.  We  have  nothing  except 
what  some  One  else  is  supplying.  What  we  call 
our  ability,  our  genius,  and  so  on,  comes  by 
the  creative  breath  breathing  afresh  upon  and 
through  what  the  patient  creative  Hand  has  sup- 
plied and  is  sustaining.  We  are  paupers,  with- 
out a  rag  to  our  bones,  or  a  copper  in  the  pocket 
we  haven't  got,  not  having  a  rag  to  our  bones; 
paupers  in  everything  except . 

There  is  an  exception.     It  is  both  pitiable  and 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     25 

laughable.  We  are  enormously  rich  in  spirit, 
in  our  imagination,  in  our  thought  of  ourselves. 
Blessed  are  they  who  are  as  poor  in  spirit  as  they 
actually  are  in  everything  else.  They  recognize 
that  they  are  wholly  dependent  on  some  One 
else,  and  so  they  live  the  dependent  life,  with  its 
blessed  closeness  of  touch  with  the  gracious  Pro- 
vider. In  certain  institutions  are  placed  those 
who  imagine  themselves  to  be  in  high  social  and 
official  rank,  and  in  possessions  what  they  are 
not,  who  imagine  it  to  such  a  degree  that  it  is 
best  that  they  be  kept  apart  from  others.  It 
would  seem  like  an  extreme  thing  to  say  that 
these  people  are  spirit-mirrors  in  which  we  may 
partly  see  ourselves.  Yet  it  would  be  saying  the 
truth.  How  laughable,  if  it  were  not  so  over- 
whelmingly pitiful,  must  men  look  to  God, — with- 
out a  stitch  to  their  backs  except  what  He  has 
given,  without  a  copper  in  their  pockets  except 
what  has  be'en  borrowed  from  His  bank,  yet 
strutting  up  and  down  the  street  of  life,  heads 
held  high  in  air,  as  though  they  owned  the  uni- 
verse, and — if  it  did  not  sound  blasphemous  I 
could  add  the  rest  of  the  fact — and  were  doing 
Him  a  favour  by  running  His  world  so  skilfully ! 
And  it  grieves  one  to  the  heart  to  note  that  this 
seems  to  be  about  as  true  within  Church  circles  as 
without.  The  difference  between  is  ever  growing 
smaller  to  the  disappearing  point. 

It  was  into  such  an  atmosphere,  never  intenser 
than  in  Palestine  and  Jerusalem  nineteen  centuries 
ago,  that  the  man  Christ  Jesus  came.     And  He 


26  On  Following  the  Christ 

had  the  moral  daring  to  begin  living  a  dependent 
life,  the  true  human  life,  looking  up  gratefully  to 
the  Father's  hand  for  everything.  Was  it  any 
wonder  His  presence  caused  such  a  disturbance 
in  the  moral  atmosphere  of  the  world!  He  in- 
sisted, with  the  strange  insistence  of  gentleness, 
on  living  such  a  life,  through  all  the  extremes 
that  the  hating  world-spirit  could  contrive  against 
Him.  Out  of  such  a  life  comes  His  "  Follow 
Me."  And  in  this  He  is  simply  calling  us  back 
to  the  original  human  life  as  planned  by  God. 

Now,  of  course,  in  that  first  step,  that  great 
"  emptying  out  "  step,  there  can  be  no  following. 
There  He  is  the  Lone  Man,  unapproachable  in 
the  moral  splendour  of  His  solitude.  But  from 
the  time  when  He  came  in  amongst  us  as  Jesus, 
our  Brother,  the  typical  Son  of  man,  He  was 
marking  out  afresh  the  original  road  for  our  feet, 
This  was  the  foundation  trait  in  His  character. 
He  lived  the  dependent  life. 

A  Father-pleasing  Life. 

The  second  trait  in  His  upward  relation  was 
this — He  chose  to  live  a  Fat  her- pleasing  life.  I 
use  those  words  because  He  used  them.1  I  might 
say  "  consecrated  "  or  "  dedicated  "  or  "  sur- 
rendered "  or  other  like  words.  And  these  are 
good  words,  but  in  common  use  we  have  largely 
lost  their  meaning.  They  are  used  unthinkingly 
for  something  less — much  less — than  they  mean. 

^ohn  viii.  28,  29. 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     27 

Perhaps  if  we  use  the  phrase  He  used  we  may  be 
able  to  get  back  to  the  thing  He  meant,  and  did. 

There  are  three  possible  lives  open  to  every 
man's  choice :  a  bad  life,  in  which  selfishness  or 
passion  or  both,  either  refined  or  coarse,  rule;  a 
good,  true,  natural  life;  and  a  Father-pleasing 
life.  By  a  good,  true,  natural  life  I  mean,  just 
now,  a  really  Christian  life  in  all  that  that  means, 
but  lived  as  if  there  were  no  emergency  in  the 
world  to  change  one's  habit  of  life. 

You  know  an  emergency  coming  into  a  man's 
life  makes  radical  changes.  You  go  to  bed  to- 
night and  ordinarily  will  sleep  out  your  eight 
hours  in  comfort  and  quiet.  If  a  fire  break  out 
in  the  house,  you  are  up  in  the  middle  of  the 
night,  hurrying  around,  only  partly  clad,  carry- 
ing out  valuables,  or  helping  turn  on  water,  or 
something  of  this  sort.  Your  natural  arrange- 
ments for  the  night  are  all  broken  up  by  the 
fire.  An  emergency  may  make  radical  changes 
in  one's  life  for  a  little  time,  sometimes  for  the 
whole  life.  Financial  reverses  may  change  the 
whole  habit  of  one's  life. 

Here's  a  man  who  has  a  well-assured,  good- 
sized  income  from  his  business,  or  his  inheri- 
tance, or  both.  He  lives  in  a  luxuriously  ap- 
pointed home,  with  many  fine  pictures  and  works 
of  art  and  curios  which  it  is  enjoyable  to  have. 
He  has  a  choice  library  including  some  fine 
costly  old  prints  and  editions,  and  enjoys  adding 
rare  books  on  subjects  in  which  he  is  specially 
interested.      He   belongs  to   some   literary   and 


28  On  Following  the  Christ 

social  and  athletic  clubs.  He  has  an  interesting 
family  growing  up  around  him  whose  education 
is  being  carefully  looked  after.  He  is  an  earnest 
Bible-loving  Christian,  faithful  in  church  at- 
tendance and  church  duties,  pure  in  life,  and 
saintly  in  character.  He  gives  liberally  to  church 
and  benevolent  objects,  including  foreign  mis- 
sions, which  have  become  a  part  of  the  church 
system  into  which  he  fits.  And  he  goes  an  even, 
contented  round  of  life,  home,  church,  club, 
recreation  and  so  on,  year  in  and  out,  holding 
and  using  the  great  bulk  of  his  money  for  him- 
self. I  think  of  that  as  one  illustration  of  the 
good,  true,  natural  life. 

Now,  the  Father-pleasing  life  is  radically  dif- 
ferent in  certain  things.  Ordinarily  the  two 
would  be  identical.  The  true  natural  life  as 
originally  planned  for  us  would  be  the  life  pleas- 
ing to  the  Father.  But  something,  not  a  part 
of  God's  plan,  has  broken  into  life,  a  terrible 
something,  worse  than  a  fire  in  the  night,  or  a 
financial  panic  that  sweeps  away  your  all.  Sin 
has  wrought  fearful  havoc ;  it  has  made  an  awful 
emergency,  and  this  emergency  has  affected  the 
life  and  character  of  all  the  race,  in  a  bad  way, 
terribly,  awfully,  beyond  words  to  tell,  or  im- 
agination to  depict.  The  whole  earth  is  in  the 
grip  of  a  desperate  moral  emergency. 

And  naturally  enough  this  emergency  affects 
the  life  of  any  one  concerned  with  this  earth. 
It  has  affected  God's  life,  and  God's  plans,  tre- 
mendously.    It  has  broken  His  heart  with  grief, 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     29 

ana  radically  changed  His  plans  for  His  own  life. 
He  has  made  a  plan  for  winning  His  world  away 
from  its  rebellion,  its  sin,  back  again  to  purity  and 
close  touch  with  Himself.  That  plan  centred 
around  His  Son,  and  He  spared  not  His  own 
Son,  but  gave  Him  up. 

And  that  emergency,  and  that  plan  of  the 
Father's  because  of  the  emergency,  have  affected 
our  Lord  Jesus'  life  on  the  earth.  The  whole 
plan  of  His  human  life  was  radically  revolution- 
ized by  it.  The  emergency,  the  Father's  plan, 
gripped  Him.  He  turned  away  from  the  true, 
good,  natural  life  which  it  would  have  been 
proper  for  Him  as  a  man  to  have  lived,  and  He 
lived  another  sort  of  life.  It  was  an  emergency 
life,  a  life  fitted  to  His  Father's  plan,  and  so  the 
Father-pleasing  life. 

He  became  a  homeless  man,  with  all  that  that 
means.  Would  any  man  have  enjoyed  home- 
life  with  all  the  rare  home-joys,  the  sweetest  of 
all  natural  joys,  so  much  as  He?  And  then  the 
larger  circle  of  congenial  friends,  the  enjoyment 
of  music,  of  exquisite  art,  the  reverent  study  of 
the  great  questions  of  life,  of  the  wonders  of 
nature  whose  powers  it  was  given  man  to  study 
and  cultivate  and  develop,1 — it  is  surely  no  ir- 
reverence to  think  of  Him  both  enjoying  and 
gracing  such  a  life,  for  such  was  the  original 
plan  of  human  life  as  thought  out  by  a  gracious 
Creator. 

Instead,  He  had  not  where  to  lay  His  head, 

Genesis  i.   26-28. 


30  On  Following  the  Christ 

though  so  wearied  with  ceaseless  toil.  He  fairly 
burned  His  life  out  those  few  years,  early  and 
late,  ministering  to  the  emergency-stricken 
crowds,  healing  their  sick,  feeding  their  hunger, 
raising  their  dead,  comforting  broken  hearts, 
winning  back  sin-stained  men  and  women,  teach- 
ing the  ignorant  neglected  multitudes,  preaching 
the  Father's  yearning  love,  searching  out  the 
straying,  ceaselessly  travelling  up  and  down, 
without  leisure  enough  to  sleep  or  to  eat  often- 
times, and  all  this  despite  the  efforts  of  His 
kinsfolk  to  restrain  His  burning  intensity. 

This  is  what  I  mean  by  a  Father-pleasing  life. 
It  was  truly  the  consecrated  life,  consecrated  to 
His  Father's  emergency  plan  for  His  world.  It 
was  the  surrendered  life,  wholly  given  up  to  the 
one  passionate  plan  of  His  Father's  broken  heart 
for  His  earth  family. 

Now,  His  "  Follow  Me  "  does  not  mean  imita- 
tion. It  does  not  mean  a  restless,  aggressive 
hurrying  here  and  there  in  meetings  and  Chris- 
tian service.  It  means  that  there  will  be  a  getting 
so  close  that  the  sweet  fever  of  His  heart  shall 
be  caught  by  ours.  The  world-vision  of  His 
eyes  shall  flood  ours.  The  passion  of  the  Father's 
heart  shall  become  the  passion  of  our  hearts. 
And  we  shall  be  controlled  in  all  our  lives,  our 
holdings,  our  habits,  by  what  He  tells  us.  It 
does  not  mean  that  we  will  seek  to  be  homeless 
as  Jesus  was,  though  it  may  possibly  turn  out  to 
mean  for  some  of  us  that  we  shall  be  homeless 
even  as  He. 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     31 

But  it  means  that  we  shall  find  out  the  Father's 
plan  for  our  lives.  And  when  it  has  become  clear, 
we  will  set  to  music  pitched  in  the  joyous  major 
our  Lord's  own  words,  "  I  do  always  the  things 
that  are  pleasing  to  Him."  And  then  we  will 
set  our  lives  to  that  joyous  music  with  its  rare 
undertone  of  the  exquisite  minor.  It  may 
mean  Africa  for  you,  or  China  for  this  other 
one.  It  may  mean  a  plainer  home  at  home,  a 
simpler  wardrobe,  a  more  careful  use  of  money. 
It  may  mean  a  new  dominant  note  in  your 
preaching,  and  all  the  personal  influence  of  your 
life.  It  may  possibly  mean  what  will  seem  like 
yet  more  radical  changes.  It  certainly  will  mean 
a  deepening  peace  within,  a  closer  touch  of 
fellowship  with  the  Lord  Jesus,  a  wholly  new 
conception  of  the  meaning  of  prayer,  and  a 
radically  new  experience  of  the  power  of  God 
in  our  own,  bodies  and  lives,  and  in  our  touch 
with  others.  It  will  mean  that  the  music  of  His 
will  and  ours  swinging  rhythmically  together  in 
all  things  shall  sweep  our  lives  even  as  the 
strong  wind  the  young  saplings. 

This  was  the  second  trait  in  our  Lord  Jesus' 
character  upward,  He  lived  the  Father-pleasing 
life.  To  some  it  will  seem  like  a  further  step — a 
fourth  step — downward  in  His  humility.  And  it 
was.  The  way  up  is  down.  The  down  slant  is 
the  beginning  of  the  hilltop  road.  Going  down 
is  the  way  up ;  downward  in  the  crowd's  estima- 
tion; upward  into  closer  touch  of  sympathetic 


32  On  Following  the  Christ 

life  with  God,  and  in  reaching  the  true   ideal 
of  life. 


The  Obedient  Life. 

The  third  trait  of  our  Lord  Jesus'  character 
upward,  in  relation  with  His  Father,  was  that 
He  lived  the  obedient  life.  This  is  really  em- 
phasizing what  has  just  been  said.  But  it  is 
putting  the  emphasis  on  the  daily  habit  of  His 
life,  rather  than  on  the  underneath  motive.  This 
was  the  daily  spelling  out  of  the  first  two  traits. 
Obedience  became  the  touchstone  by  which  every- 
thing was  tested. 

The  touchstone  was  not  men's  needs,  deeply  as 
that  took  hold  of  His  heart,  and  shaped  so  much 
His  life.  It  was  not  the  thought  of  service, 
though  never  was  a  life  so  filled  with  eager 
glad  service.  The  touchstone  was  not  natural 
liking  or  choice,  the  proper  instinctive  reach  out 
of  His  true  human  nature,  though  this  would  be 
strong  in  Him,  the  typical  Son  of  Man.  This 
would  not  be  repressed  as  an  unholy  or  wrong 
thing.  It  would  only  be  given  second  place,  or 
left  out,  as  it  might  run  across  the  grain  of  the 
great  life-passion.  With  a  fresh  touch  of  awe  it 
may  truly  be  said :  He  did  not  come  down  to  earth 
primarily  to  die,  though  He  knew  beforehand 
that  this  would  stand  out  as  the  great  one 
thing.  The  death  was  an  item  in  the  obedience. 
He  came  down  to  do  His  Father's  will.  The 
path  of  obedience  led  straight  to  the  hill  of  the 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     33 

cross,  and  He  trod  that  path  regardless  of  where 
it  led.  Obedience  was  the  one  touchstone  of  His 
life.1  And  it  will  be  the  one  touchstone  of  His 
true  follower's  life.  We  shall  run  across  this 
same  vein  of  bright  yellow  gold,  again  and  again, 
as  we  work  on  through  this  "  Follow  Me  "  mine. 
These  were  the  three  traits  of  our  Lord  Jesus' 
character  upward,  toward  His  Father.  They 
were  not  different  because  of  the  emergency  of 
sin  He  found  in  the  world.  They  would  have 
marked  His  life  just  as  fully  had  there  been  no 
sin.  But  the  presence  of  sin  caused  them  to 
change  radically  the  whole  course  of  the  life  He 
actually  lived. 

Sinless  by  Choice. 

Then  there  were  two  traits  of  character  inward, 
in  Himself.  One  was  His  purity.  There  was  the 
absence  of  everything  that  should  not  be  in  Him. 
This  is  the  negative  side,  though  no  part  of  His 
character  called  for  more  intense  positiveness. 
Purity  means  sinlessness.  He  was  sinless.  But 
we  must  quickly  remember  what  this  means,  or 
else  there  may  seem  to  be  no  following  for  us, 
only  a  wistful  gazing  where  we  cannot  go.  It 
does  not  mean  simply  this,  that  through  His 
peculiar  birthright  there  was  freedom  from  all 
taint  of  sin. 

It  means  more  than  this.     Sinlessness  was  a 

1Philippians  ii.  8;  Hebrews  v.  8;  Romans  v.  19  1.  c; 
John  x.  18  1.  c. 


34  On  Following  the  Christ 

matter  of  choice  with  Him,  and  of  choice  insisted 
upon.  And,  be  it  said  reverently,  no  man  ever 
had  a  stirrer  fight  to  keep  true  to  his  purpose 
than  He.  He  was  tempted  in  all  points  like  as  we 
are.  He  was  tempted  more  than  we.  The 
tempter  did  his  best  and  worst;  he  mustered  all 
his  cunning  and  driving  power  against  this  Lone 
Man.  And  the  temptations  were  real.  I  am  not 
concerned  over  the  merely  academical  questions 
of  the  schoolmen  here.  The  practical  side  is  the 
intense  side  that  takes  all  one's  strength  and 
thought.  Practically,  that  our  Lord  Jesus  was 
really  tempted,  means  that  He  could  have  yielded 
had  He  so  chosen.  That  He  did  not  meant  real 
struggle  on  His  part.  Not,  of  course,  that  He 
ever  wanted  to  yield  to  what  was  wrong,  but 
temptation  was  never  so  subtle,  and  doing  the 
right  never  made  so  difficult  as  for  Him.  He 
suffered  in  being  tempted.1 

His  sinlessness  meant  a  decision,  then  many  a 
time  a  moist  brow,  a  clenched  hand,  and  set  jaw, 
a  sore  stress  of  spirit,  and  deep-breathed  con- 
tinual prayer  whose  intensity  down  in  His  heart 
could  never  be  fully  expressed  at  the  lips.  The 
temptation  to  fail  to  obey,  simply  not  to  obey, 
when  obeying  meant  going  through  a  sore  ex- 
perience was  never  brought  so  deftly,  so  subtly, 
so  repeatedly  and  insistently  to  any  as  to  Him. 
Resisting  not  only  meant  the  decision,  but  the 
strength  of  resistance  against  terrific  strength 
of  repeated  insistence. 

aHebrews  ii.  18. 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     35 

How  wondrously  human  this  God-man  was  in 
His  temptations,  in  His  set  refusals,  and  even 
more,  how  human  in  keeping  free  from  sin.  For 
sin  is  not  human,  letting  sin  in  would  have  been 
a  going  down  from  the  human  level.  This  is  the 
practical  meaning  of  His  sinlessness — choice, 
choice  insisted  upon,  fighting,  continual  prayer, 
the  Father's  help,  such  as  any  man  may  have — 
not  more. 

This  helps  us  to  see  how  intensely  practical 
His  "  Follow  Me  "  becomes.  It  is  not  only  that 
we  will  want  to  fight  against  the  incoming  of 
sin  because  we  feel  we  ought  to.  But  as  we  get 
close  to  Him  and  breathe  in  His  spirit,  there  will 
come  an  inbred  dislike,  an  intense  inner  loathing 
of  sin,  however  refined  it  may  be  in  its  approach. 
There  will  be  a  continual  coming  for  cleansing 
in  the  only  fluid  that  can  remove  sin — His 
precious  blood,  and  in  the  only  flame  that  can 
burn  it  out-^the  fire  of  the  Holy  Spirit.1  There 
will  be  a  hardening  of  the  set  purpose  to  be  free 
of  sin.  We  can  be  sinless  in  purpose.  There 
can  be  a  growing  sinlessness  in  actual  life.  And 
yet  all  experience  goes  to  show  that  the  nearer 
we  actually  walk  with  God  the  more  we  shall  be 
conscious  of  the  need  of  cleansing,  the  more  we 
will  talk  about  our  Lord  Jesus,  and  the  less  and 
still  less  about  our  attainments. 

The  second  inward  trait  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
was  the  other  side  of  this — His  positive  good- 
ness.    I  mean  the  presence  in  Him  of  all  that 

Hebrews  xii.  29. 


26  On  Following  the  Christ 

should  be  there.  This  is  the  exact  reverse  or 
complement  of  the  purity.  It  is  the  other  half 
that  must  go  with  that  to  make  a  perfect  charac- 
ter. I  like  to  use  the  word  "  holiness  "  in  the 
sense  of  whole-ness.  He  had  and  developed  a 
whole  life.  It  was  fully  rounded  out.  There  was 
nothing  lacking  that  should  be  there,  even  as 
there  was  nothing  present  that  should  not  have 
been  there. 

There  is  among  us  a  good  bit  of  negative  good- 
ness of  character.  We  point  with  pride  to  what 
we  don't  do  of  that  which  is  bad  or  not  good. 
But  this  is  a  very  one-sided  sort  of  thing.  Purity 
and  goodness  together — purity  and  holiness, 
wholeness — made  the  perfect,  completed  charac- 
ter of  our  Lord.  And  it  was  so  wholly  through 
His  choice,  His  own  action,  with  His  Father's 
gracious  help  working  through  His  choice.  And 
the  blessed  contagion  of  the  Leader's  presence 
will  make  an  intense  longing  within  to  follow 
Him  here  too. 

A  Fellow-Feeling. 

Then  there  were  two  outward  traits  of  charac- 
ter, that  is  in  His  relations  with  His  fellow-men, 
of  Nazareth,  of  Israel,  and  of  all  the  race.  He 
had  sympathy  with  men ;  a  rare,  altogether  excep- 
tional sympathy.  He  felt  with  men  in  all  their 
feelings  and  needs  and  circumstances.  His  fine 
spirit  reached  into  men's  inner  spirit,  and  felt 
their  hunger  and  pain  and  longings  and  joys, 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     37 

felt  them  even  as  they  did,  and  the  arms  of  His 
spirit  went  around  them  to  help.  And  they  felt  it. 
They  felt  that  He  really  understood  and  felt 
with  them.  And  so  sincere  and  brotherly  was 
His  fellow-feeling  that  they  gladly  welcomed 
it  as  from  one  really  of  themselves.  To  men, 
this  Man,  so  lone  in  certain  traits  and  experi- 
ences, was  their  brother,  not  only  in  His  feeling 
with  them,  but  in  their  feeling  toward  Him. 

There's  something  peculiar  in  that  word  sym- 
pathy. It's  a  warm  word.  It  has  a  soft  cushion 
to  it.  It  is  a  help  word.  There's  something  in  it 
that  makes  you  think  of  a  warm  strong  hand  help- 
ing, of  a  soft  padding  cushioning  the  sharp  edges 
where  they  touch  your  flesh.  It  makes  you  think 
of  a  tender,  fine  spirit  breathing  in  and  through 
your  own  spirit,  even  as  the  soft  south  wind  in 
the  spring  warms  you,  and  the  bracing  mountain 
wind  in  the  summer  brings  you  new  life. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  had  this  great  trait  of  sym- 
pathy with  His  fellows.  He  could  have  it,  for 
He  had  been  through  all  their  experiences.  He 
knew  the  commonplace  round  of  daily  life  so 
common  to  all  the  race.  Nazareth  taught  Him 
that,  through  thirty  of  His  thirty-three  years, — 
ten-elevenths  of  His  life.  He  knew  temptation, 
cunning,  subtle,  stormy,  persistent.  He  knew  the 
inner  longings  of  a  nature  awakening,  and  yet 
what  it  meant  to  be  held  down  by  outer  circum- 
stances. He  knew  the  sharp  test  of  waiting,  long 
waiting.  He  knew  hunger  and  bodily  weariness, 
and  the  pinch  of  scanty  funds.    He  was  homeless 


38  On  Following  the  Christ 

at  a  time  when  a  home  would  have  been  most 
grateful.  He  knew  what  it  meant  to  have  the 
life-plan  broken,  and  something  else,  a  bitter 
something  else  thrust  in  its  place. 

And  he  knew,  too,  the  sweets  of  human  life,  of 
human  love,  of  the  helpfulness  of  others'  sym- 
pathy, of  the  Father's  pleased  smile,  of  the  Holy 
Spirit's  indwelling,  of  the  wondrous  inner  peace 
that  follows  obedience  in  hard  places,  of  the  joys 
of  service,  of  the  delight  of  being  able  to  sympa- 
thize. His  experience  ran  through  the  whole 
diapason  of  human  feelings,  and  so  He  can  find 
a  key-note  in  every  one  of  its  tones  for  the 
sweet  rich  symphony  of  sympathy. 

There  is  again  an  exception  to  be  noted  here. 
There  could  be  no  fellow-feeling  in  choosing 
wrong,  or  in  yielding  to  the  low  or  base  or 
selfish.  He  is  the  Lone  Man  there.  Does  this 
make  all  the  stronger  His  sympathy  with  us  in 
our  upper  reach  out  of  such  things?  Surely  it 
does.  The  exception  makes  it  stand  out  more 
sharply  that  our  Lord  Jesus  felt  our  feelings. 
Wherever  you  are,  however  tight  the  corner,  or 
narrow  the  road,  or  lonely  the  way,  or  keen  the 
suffering,  you  can  always  stop  and  say :  "  He  was 
here.  He  was  here  first,  and  most.  He  under- 
stands." As  you  kneel  and  look  up,  you  can 
remember  that  there's  a  Man  on  the  throne,  a 
fellow-man,  with  a  human  heart  like  mine,  and 
like  yours.  He  understands.  He  feels.  With 
utmost  reverence  let  it  be  said,  there's  more  of 
God  since  our  Lord  Jesus  went  back.     Human 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     39 

experience  has  been  taken  up  into  the  person 
of  God. 

And  let  me  remind  you  again,  that  the  "  Follow 
Me  "  here  will  mean  nothing  less  than  fellowship 
in  the  sufferings  of  our  fellows,  fellowship  to  the 
point  of  radically  affecting  our  lives.  Sympathy 
will  go  deeper  than  a  sense  of  pity  for  those  less 
fortunate,  and  a  giving  to  them  a  warm  hand  and 
a  good  lift  up.  The  poor  woman,  living  in  a  slum 
district,  being  visited  by  a  mission  visitor,  spoke 
for  the  universal  human  heart  when  she  said  ear- 
nestly, "  We  don't  want  things;  we  want  love." 
As  we  get  up  close  to  our  Lord  Jesus  there  will 
come  the  indwelling  in  us  of  the  spirit  that  con- 
trolled Him.  We  will  see  through  His  eyes,  we 
will  feel  with  His  heart,  our  hands  will  reach 
out  to  grasp  other  human  hands  with  the  im- 
pulse of  His  touch  upon  them.  We  shall  know 
the  exquisite  pain  of  real  sympathy  with  men  in 
need,  and  the  great  joy  of  sharing  and  making 
lighter  their  load. 

When  You  Don't  Have  To. 


The  second  outward  trait  of  our  Lord  Jesus' 
character  was  sacrifice.  This  is  not  something 
different  from  what  has  been  said;  it  is  only 
going  a  step  further,  indeed  going  the  last  step 
that  He  could  go,  in  both  His  sympathy  with  men 
and  His  obedience  to  His  Father.  It  helps  to 
remember  what  sacrifice  means;  not  suffering 
merely,  though  it  includes  suffering;  not  priva- 


4-0  On  Following  the  Christ 

tion  simply,  though  it  may  include  this,  too. 
There  is  much  suffering  and  privation  where 
there  is  no  sacrifice.  Sacrifice  means  doing  some- 
thing to  help  some  one  else  when  it  takes  some 
of  your  life-blood,  and  when  you  don't  have  to, 
except  the  have-to  of  love. 

Sacrifice  was  so  woven  into  the  very  fabric  of 
Jesus'  life  that  wherever  you  cut  in  some  of  the 
red  threads  stick  out.  It  was  the  never-absent 
undertone  of  His  life,  from  earliest  years  until 
the  tragic  close.  But  the  undertone  rose  higher 
and  grew  stronger  until  at  the  last  it  became  the 
dominant,  the  only  tone  to  be  heard.  He  gave 
His  life  out  on  the  cross  that  so  men  might  be 
saved  from  the  terrible  result  of  their  sin,, when 
He  didn't  have  to,  except  the  have-to  of  His 
great  heart. 

I  have  spoken  of  sacrifice  as  one  of  the  two 
outward,  manward  traits  of  His  character.  But 
the  truth  is  His  Calvary  sacrifice  faced  three 
ways:  upward,  inward  and  outward.  It  faced 
toward  the  Father,  for  it  was  carrying  out  the 
Father's  plan,  and  that  lets  us  see  not  only  the 
Father's  love,  but  His  estimate,  as  the  world's 
administrator  of  justice,  of  the  horribleness  of  the 
sin  which  He  was  so  freely  forgiving.1  It  faced 
in  toward  Himself,  for  it  was  the  purity  and 
perfection  of  the  life  poured  out  that  gave  the 
peculiar  meaning  to  His  death,  and  it  was  His 

'Romans  iii.  26,  latter  half;  free  reading — "that  He 
(God)  might  be  seen  to  be  just  and  righteous  in  for- 
giving a  man's  sin  when  he  trusted  in  Jesus." 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     41 

sympathetic  love  that  led  Him  up  that  steep  hill. 
It  faced  outward,  for  the  love  of  it  was  meant  to 
break  men's  hearts  and  bend  their  stubborn  wills, 
and  so  it  did  and  has. 

His  sympathy — love  suffering — came  to  have  a 
new  meaning  as  He  went  to  the  last  extreme  in 
His  suffering.  Sympathy  is  sometimes  spoken 
of  as  putting  yourself  in  the  other's  place  so  as 
to  help  him  better.  Our  Lord  Jesus  did  this.  He 
did  it  as  none  other  did,  or  could.  He  actually 
put  Himself  in  our  place  on  the  cross.  He  ex- 
perienced what  would  have  come  to  us  had  He 
not  taken  our  place.  He  suffered  the  suffering 
that  belongs  to  us  because  of  our  sin.  He  felt  the 
feelings  that  came  through  sin  working  out  to  its 
bitter  end.  Indeed  He  went  beyond  our  own 
feelings  here.  For  because  He  consented  to  suf- 
fer as  a  guilty  sinner,  we,  who  trust  His  precious 
blood,  are  spared  that  awful  experience. 

Calvary  was  sympathy  to  the  extreme  of  sacri- 
fice. But  both  words,  "  sympathy  "  and  "  sacri- 
fice," get  new  depths  of  meaning  at  Calvary. 
This  red  shuttle  thread  of  sacrifice  will  appear 
again  and  again  in  the  fabric  which  His  "  Follow 
Me  "  weaves  out  for  us.  What  a  character  He 
calls  us  to !  What  strength  of  friendship  to  in- 
sist on  our  coming  up  close  to  Himself !  Is  it 
possible?  Surely  not.  He  is  so  far  beyond  us. 
Yet  there  is  a  way,  only  one,  the  way  of  the  de- 
pendent life,  depending  on  Him  to  reproduce  His 
own  likeness  in  us.  And  our  giving  Him  a  free 
hand  in  doing  it. 


42  On  Following  the  Christ 

There  is  one  word  that  could  be  used  to  cover 
all  of  this,  if  we  only  knew  its  full,  rich,  sweet 
meaning.  That  is  the  little  understood,  the  much 
misunderstood,  much  belittled-in-use  word, 
"  love."  All  that  has  been  said  of  the  character 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  can  be  found  inside  that  four- 
lettered  word.  Each  trait  spoken  of  is  but  a 
fresh  spelling  of  love,  some  one  side  of  it. 
Love  planned  the  dependent  life,  and  only  love 
can  live  it  truly.  Love  longs  to  please  love, 
regardless  of  any  sacrifice  involved.  Obedience 
is  the  active  rhythm  of  love  on  the  street  of  life. 
Purity  is  the  inner  heart  of  love;  and  the  fully 
rounded  character  is  the  maturity  of  love.  Sym- 
pathy is  the  heart  of  love  beating  in  perfect 
rhythm  with  your  own,  and  sacrifice  is  love  giv- 
ing its  very  life  gladly  out  to  save  yours.  Some 
day  we  shall  know  how  much  is  meant  by  the  sen- 
tence, "  God  is  love." 

A  little  child  of  a  Christian  home  came  one 
day  to  his  mother,  asking  what  it  meant  to  "  be- 
lieve on  the  Lord  Jesus."  She  thought  a  moment 
how  to  make  the  answer  simple  to  the  child,  and 
then  said,  "  It  means  thinking  about  Him,  and 
loving  Him."  Sometime  after,  the  little  fellow 
was  noticed  sitting  very  quietly,  apparently  much 
absorbed  in  thought,  and  his  mother  said,  "  What 
are  you  doing,  my  son  ?  "  With  child-like  sim- 
plicity he  said  in  a  quiet  tone,  "  I'm  believing  on 
the  Lord  Jesus."  And  a  warm  flush  of  feeling 
came  to  the  mother's  heart  as  she  realized  the 


The  Lone  Man  Who  Went  Before     43 

practical  tender  meaning  to  her  son,  of  the  word 
"  believing." 

May  we  be  great  enough  to  be  as  little  chil- 
dren while  I  adapt  that  mother's  language  here : 
Following  our  Lord  Jesus  is  thinking  about  Him 
and  loving  Him.  As  we  come  to  know  the  mean- 
ing of  love  we  shall  find  that  following  is  loving. 
The  "  Follow  Me  "  life  is  the  love  life.  But  we 
must  learn  the  meaning  of  love  before  that  sen- 
tence will  grip  us. 

The  closer  we  follow  Him  the  closer  we  will 
come  to  knowing  what  love  is.  The  nearer  we 
get  to  Him  the  nearer  we  get  to  its  meaning. 
We  will  know  it  as  we  know  Him.  When  we 
come  into  His  presence,  face  to  face,  its  simple 
full  meaning  will  flash  upon  us  with  a  great  sim- 
ple surprise. 

Let  us  follow  on  to  know  it,  that  we  may  know 
Him.  Let  us  live  it  and  so  we  shall  live  Him. 
And  in  so  living  we  shall  know  it  and  Him;  we 
shall  know  love,  and  Jesus,  and  God. 


THE  LONG,  ROUGH  ROAD  HE 
TROD 

The  Book's  Story. 

It  wasn't  always  a  rough  road,  of  course.  But 
as  you  look  at  it  from  end  to  end,  the  roughness 
of  it  is  what  takes  your  eye  most,  and  takes 
great  hold  of  your  heart.  The  smooth  places  here 
and  there  make  you  feel  that  it  was  a  rough  road. 
And  yet,  rough  though  it  really  was,  the  rough- 
ness was  eased  by  the  love  in  the  heart  of  the  Man 
that  trod  it ;  though  not  eased  for  the  soles  of 
His  feet,  nor  for  hands  and  face.  For  there 
was  thorny  roughness  at  the  sides  as  He  pushed 
through,  as  well  as  steep  roughness  under  foot. 

And  it  may  not  seem  so  long  at  first.  But  the 
longer  you  look,  the  sharper  your  eyes  get  to  see 
how  great  was  the  distance  He  had  to  come,  from 
where  He  was,  down  to  where  we  were. 

Let  me  take  a  little  sea  room,  and  go  back  a  bit 
so  we  can  see  the  full  length,  and  the  real  rough- 
ness, of  the  road  He  came.  And  lest  some  of  you 
may  think  that  the  telling  of  the  first  part  of  it 
has  the  sound  of  a  fairy  tale,  let  me  tell  you  that 
it  is  simply  the  story  of  what  actually  took  place, 
as  told  in  the  pages  of  this  old  Book  of  God.  It 
will  be  a  help  if  you  will  keep  your  copy  of  the 
44 


The  Long,  Rough  Road  He  Trod     45 

Bible  at  hand,  and  turn  thoughtfully  to  its  pages 
now  and  then  as  we  talk. 

There  is  a  rare  simplicity  in  the  way  in  which 
the  story  of  the  Bible  is  told.  And  it  helps  to 
remember  that  the  Bible  is  never  concerned 
with  chronology,  nor  with  scientific  process  but 
only  with  giving  pictures  of  moral  or  spiritual 
conditions  among  men  as  seen  from  above.  And 
chiefly  it  is  concerned  with  giving  a  picture  of 
God,  in  His  power  and  patience  and  gentleness, 
and  in  His  great  justice  and  right  in  dealing  with 
everybody.  Yet  the  picture  and  the  language 
never  clash  with  the  facts  of  nature  and  of  life 
as  dug  out  by  student  or  scientist. 

It  is  a  great  help  in  talking  about  these  things 
of  God,  and  of  human  life,  not  to  have  any  theo- 
ries to  fit  and  press  things  into,  but  simply  to 
take  the  Book's  story,  and  to  tell  it  over  again  in 
the  language  of  our  generation.  It  simplifies 
things  quite,  a  bit  not  to  try  to  fit  God  into  your 
philosophy,  but  to  accept  His  own  story  of  life. 
It  not  only  greatly  simplifies  one's  outlook,  it 
gives  you  such  sure  footing,  such  steadiness. 
Any  other  footing  may  go  out  from  under  your 
feet  any  time.  But  the  old  Book  of  God  "  stand- 
eth  sure,"  never  more  sure  than  to-day  when  it 
was  never  more  riddled  at,  and  mined  under.  But 
neither  bullets  nor  mining  have  affected  the 
Book  itself.  The  only  harm  has  been  in  the 
kick-back  of  the  firing,  upon  those  standing  close 
by. 

I  am  frank  to  confess  my  own  ignorance  of  the 


46  On  Following  the  Christ 

great  truths  we  are  talking  over  here,  save  for  the 
Bible  itself,  and  the  response  to  it  within  my  own 
spirit,  and  the  further  response  to  it  in  human 
life  all  over  the  earth  to-day  West  and  East. 
Human  life  is  a  faithful  mirror,  accurately  re- 
flecting to-day  just  the  conditions  found  in  this 
old  Book.  No  book  so  faithfully  and  accurately 
describes  the  workings  and  feelings  of  the  human 
mind  and  heart  of  to-day  in  our  western  world, 
and  in  all  the  world,  as  this  Book,  written  so  long 
ago  in  the  language  of  the  East.  Its  finger  still 
gives  accurately  the  pulse  beat  of  the  race.  And 
it  helps,  too,  to  tell  the  story  in  the  simple  way 
in  which  this  Book  itself  does,  as  a  story. 

God  on  a  Wooing  Errand. 

God  and  man  used  to  live  together  in  a  garden. 
It  was  a  most  wonderful  garden,  full  of  trees  and 
flowers  and  fruit,  of  singing  birds  with  rare 
feathers  and  songs,  of  beasts  that  had  never  yet 
learned  fear,  nor  to  make  others  feel  it,  and  a 
beautiful  river  of  living  water.  The  name  given 
it  indicates  that  it  was  a  most  delightful  spot.1 
God  and  man  used  to  live  together  in  this  garden. 
They  talked  and  walked  and  worked  together. 
Man  helped  God  in  putting  the  finishing  touches 
on  His  work  of  creation.  It  was  the  first  school, 
with  God  Himself  as  teacher.2  God  and  man 
used  to  have  a  trysting  time  under  the  trees  in 
the  twilight.     But  one  evening  when  God  came 

1  Eden  :  delight.  2  Genesis  ii.  8-20. 


The  Long,  Rough  Road  He  Trod     47 

for  the  usual  bit  of  fellowship  the  man  was  not 
there.  God  was  there.1  He  had  not  gone  away, 
and  He  has  never  gone  away.  Man  had  gone 
away,  and  God  was  left  lonely  standing  under  the 
tree  of  life. 

A  friend,  in  whose  home  we  were,  told  of  her 
little  daughter's  remark  one  day.  The  mother 
had  been  teaching  her  that  there  is  only  one  God. 
The  child  seemed  surprised  and  on  being  told 
again,  said  in  her  childlike  simplicity,  "  I  think 
He  must  be  very  lonesome."  Well,  the  child  was 
right  in  the  word  used.  God  is  lonesome,  though 
for  an  utterly  different  reason  than  was  in  the 
child's  mind.  God  was  lonesome  that  day,  left 
standing  alone  under  the  trees  of  the  garden.  He 
is  lonesome  for  fellowship  with  every  one  who 
stays  away  from  Himself.  That  homely  human 
word  may  well  express  to  us  the  longing  of  His 
heart. 

Man  went'  away  from  God  that  day,  then  he 
wandered  farther  away,  then  he  lost  his  way 
back,  then  he  didn't  want  to  come  back.  And 
away  from  God  his  ideas  about  God  got  badly 
confused.  His  eyes  grew  blind  to  God's  pleading 
face,  his  ears  dull  and  then  deaf  to  God's  voice. 
His  will  got  badly  warped  and  bent  out  of  shape 
morally,  and  his  life  sadly  hurt  by  the  sin  he 
had  let  in.2 

And  all  this  was  very  hard  on  God.3    It  grieved 

1  Genesis  iii.  8,  9.  2  Genesis  iv.-vi. 

3  Genesis  vi.  6 ;  Deuteronomy  v.  29 ;  Psalm  lxxxi.  13 ; 
Isaiah  xlviii.  18. 


48  On  Following  the  Christ 

Him  at  His  heart.  He  sent  many  messengers, 
one  after  another,  through  long  years,  but  they 
were  treated  as  badly  as  they  could  be.1  And  at 
last  God  said  to  Himself,  "  What  more  can  I  do? 
This  is  what  I  will  do.  I'll  go  down  Myself  and 
live  among  them,  and  woo  them  back  Myself." 
And  so  it  was  done.  One  day  He  wrapped  about 
Himself  the  garb  of  our  humanity,  and  came  in 
amongst  us  as  one  of  ourselves.2  And  He  be- 
came known  amongst  us  as  Jesus.  He  had 
spoken  the  world  into  being ;  now,  in  John's  simple 
homely  language,  He  pitched  His  tent  amongst 
our  tents  as  our  near  neighbour  and  kinsman.3 
Our  Lord  Jesus  was  the  face  of  God  looking  into 
ours,  the  voice  of  God  speaking  into  the  ears  of 
our  hearts,  the  hand  of  God  reached  down  to 
make  a  way  back  and  then  lead  us  along  the  way 
back  again,  the  heart  of  God  coming  in  touch  to 
warm  ours  and  make  us  willing  to  go  back. 

It  was  a  long  road  He  came,  as  long  as  the  dis- 
tance we  had  gone  away  from  Him.  And  no 
measuring  stick  has  yet  been  whittled  out  that 
can  tell  that  distance.  We  want  to  look  a  bit  at  the 
last  lap  of  the  road,  the  earth-lap.  It  runs  from 
the  Bethlehem  plain  where  He  came  in,  to  the 

1  Mark  xii.  1-8;  II  Chronicles  xxxvi.  15,16. — These 
passages,  and  many  similar,  while  speaking  directly  of 
the  one  nation  Israel,  are  giving  a  picture  of  the  heart 
of  God  toward  all  men,  and  His  habit  of  action.  Israel 
itself  was  the  messenger-nation,  whose  life  was  meant  to 
be  God's  message  of  love  to  all  the  race. 

2  John  i.  1-18,  especially  verses  1-5,  14. 

3  John  i.  14  f.  c. 


The  Long,  Rough  Road  He  Trod     49 

Olivet  hilltop  where  He  slipped  away  again  up 
and  back,  for  a  time,  until  things  are  ready  for 
the  next  step  in  His  plan. 


The  Rough  Places. 

The  bit  of  earth-road  began  to  get  pretty  rough 
before  He  had  quite  gotten  here.  The  pure  gentle 
virgin-mother  was  under  cruelly  hurting  suspicion 
on  the  point  about  which  a  woman  is  properly 
most  sensitive,  and  that  too  by  the  one  who  was 
nearest  to  her.  I've  wondered  why  Joseph,  too, 
was  not  told  of  the  plan  of  God  when  Mary 
was,  and  so  she  be  spared  this  sore  suspicion.  I 
think  it  was  because  he  simply  could  not  have 
taken  it  in  beforehand,  though  he  rose  so  nobly 
when  he  was  told.  Her  experience  was  un- 
avoidable, humanly  speaking. 

That  hastily  improvised  cradle  was  in  rather  a 
rough  spot  for  both  mother  and  babe.  The  hasty 
fleeing  for  several  days  and  nights  to  Egypt,  with 
those  heart-rending  cries  of  the  grief-stricken 
mothers  of  Bethlehem  haunting  their  ears,  the 
cautious  return,  and  then  apparently  the  change 
of  plans  from  a  home  in  historic  Bethlehem  to  the 
much  less  favoured  village  of  Nazareth, — it  was 
all  a  pretty  rough  beginning  on  a  very  rough 
road.  It  was  a  sort  of  prophetic  beginning. 
There  proved  to  be  blood-shedding  at  both  ends, 
and  each  time  innocent  blood,  too. 

The  word  Nazareth  has  become  a  high  fence 
hiding  from  view  thirty  of  the  thirty-three  years. 


50  On  Following  the  Christ 

Was  this  the  dead-level,  monotonous  stretch  of 
the  road,  from  the  time  of  the  early  teens  on  to 
the  full  maturity  of  thirty?  Yet  it  proved  later 
to  have  a  dangerously  rough  place  on  the  preci- 
pice side  of  the  town.  It  seems  rather  clear  that 
Joseph  and  Mary  would  have  much  preferred 
some  other  place,  their  own  family  town,  cultured 
Bethlehem,  for  rearing  this  child  committed  to 
their  care.  But  the  serious  danger  involved  de- 
cided the  choice  of  the  less  desirable  town  for 
their  home.1 

But  the  roughest  part  began  when  our  Lord 
Jesus  turned  His  feet  from  the  shaded  seclusion 
of  Nazareth,  and  turned  into  the  open  road.  At 
once  came  the  Wilderness,  the  place  of  terrific 
temptation,  and  of  intense  spirit  conflict.  The 
fact  of  temptation  was  intensified  by  the  length 
of  it.  Forty  long  days  the  lone  struggle  lasted. 
The  time  test  is  the  hardest  test.  The  greatest 
strength  is  the  strength  that  wears,  doesn't  wear 
out.  That  Wilderness  had  stood  for  sin's  worst 
scar  on  the  earth's  surface.  Since  then  it  has 
stood  for  the  most  terrific  and  lengthened-out 
siege-attack  by  the  Evil  One  upon  a  human 
being.  Satan  himself  came  and  rallied  all  the 
power  of  cunning  and  persistence  at  his  com- 
mand.   He  did  his  damnable  worst  and  best. 

In  an  art  gallery  at  Moscow  is  a  painting  by  a 
Russian  artist  of  "  Christ  in  the  Wilderness," 
which  reverently  and  with  simple  dramatic  power 
brings  to  you  the  intense  humanity  of  our  Lord, 

1  Matthew  ii.  22,  23. 


The  Long,  Rough  Road  He  Trod     51 

and  how  tremendously  real  to  Him  the  tempta- 
tion was.  This  helps  to  intensify  to  us  the 
meaning  of  the  Wilderness.  It  stands  for  vic- 
tory, by  a  man,  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  over 
the  worst  temptation  that  can  come. 

Then  follows  a  long  stretch  of  rough  road  with 
certain  places  sharply  marked  out  to  our  eyes. 
The  rejection  by  the  Jewish  leaders  began  at  once. 
It  ran  through  three  stages,  the  silent  con- 
temptuous rejection,  the  active  aggressive  rejec- 
tion, then  the  hardened,  murderous  rejection 
running  up  to  the  terrible  climax  of  the  cross. 

The  contemptuous  rejection  of  the  Baptist's 
claim  for  his  Master,  by  the  official  commission 
sent  down  to  inquire,1  was  followed  by  the  more 
aggressive,  as  they  began  to  realize  the  power  of 
this  man  they  had  to  deal  with.  John's  imprison- 
ment revealed  an  intensifying  danger,  and  the 
need  of  withdrawing  to  some  less  dangerous 
place. 

Our  Lord's  change  to  Galilee,  and  to  preaching 
and  working  among  the  masses,  was  followed  by 
a  persistent  campaign  on  the  part  of  the  Southern- 
ers of  nagging,  harrying  warfare  against  Him 
throughout  Galilee.  It  grew  in  bitterness  and  in- 
tensity, with  John's  death  as  a  further  turning 
point  to  yet  intenser  bitterness.  The  visits  to 
Jerusalem  were  accompanied  by  fiercer  attacks, 
venomous  discussions,  and  frenzied  attempts  at 
personal  violence.  This  grew  into  the  third  stage 
of  rejection,  the  cool,  hardened  plotting  of  His 

'John  i.   19-28. 


52  On  Following  the  Christ 

death.  The  last  weeks  things  head  up  at  a  tre- 
mendous rate ;  our  Lord  appears  to  be  the  one 
calm,  steady  man,  even  in  His  terrific  denuncia- 
tion of  them,  held  even  and  steady  in  the  grip  of 
a  clear,  strong  purpose,  as  He  pushed  His  way 
unwaveringly  onward.  Then  came  the  terrible 
climax, — the  cross.  The  worst  venomous  spittle 
of  the  serpent's  poison  sac  spat  out  there.  It  was 
the  climax  of  hate,  and  the  climax  of  His  un- 
speakable love. 

W hen  Your  Heart's  Tuned  to  the  Music. 

Surely  it  was  a  long,  rough  road.  Its  length 
was  not  measured  by  miles,  nor  years,  but  by  the 
experiences  of  this  Lone  Man.  So  measured  it 
becomes  the  longest  road  ever  trod,  from  purity's 
heights  to  sin's  depths ;  from  love's  mountain  top 
to  hate's  deepest  gulf.  It  makes  a  new  record 
for  roughness.  For  no  one  has  ever  suffered 
what  our  Lord  Jesus  did ;  and  no  one's  suffering 
ever  had  the  value  and  meaning  for  another  that 
His  had  and  has  for  all  men  and  for  us.  Not 
one  of  us  to-day  realizes  how  He  suffered,  nor 
the  intensity  of  meaning  that  suffering  actually 
has  for  all  the  race,  and  for  those  of  us  who  ac- 
cept it  for  ourselves. 

It  was  a  rough,  long  road,  and  He  knew  ahead 
that  it  would  be.  He  saw  dimly  ahead,  then 
more  sharply  outlined  as  He  drew  on,  those 
crossed  logs  in  the  road,  growing  bigger  and 
darker  and  more  forbidding  as  He  pushed  on. 


The  Long,  Rough  Road  He  Trod     53 

But  He  could  not  be  stopped  by  that,  for  He  was 
thinking  about  us,  and  about  His  Father.  He 
pushed  steadily  on,  past  crossed  logs  all  over- 
grown and  tangled  with  thorn  bushes  and  poison 
ivy  vines,  bearing  the  marks  of  logs  and  thorns 
and  poison  ivy,  but  He  went  through  to  the  end 
of  the  road,  He  reached  His  world ;  He  reached 
our  hearts.  And  now  He  is  longing  to  reach 
through  our  hearts  to  the  hearts  of  the  others. 

"  But  none  of  the  ransomed  ever  knew 

How  deep  were  the  waters  crossed ; 
Nor  how  dark  was  the  night  that  the  Lord 
passed  through, 
'Ere  He  found  His  sheep  that  were  lost. 

1  Lord,  whence  are  those  blood-drops  all  the 
way 

That  mark  out  the  mountain's  track?  ' 
'  They  were  shed  for  one  who  had  gone  astray 

Ere  the  Shepherd  could  bring  him  back.' 

But  all  jthrough  the  mountains,  thunder-riven, 

And  up  from  the  rocky  steep, 
There  arose  a  glad  cry  to  the  gate  of  heaven, 

'Rejoice!      I    have    found   my   sheep.'"1 

But  there  was  something  more  on  that  road. 
Do  you  know  how  the  wind  blows  through  the 
trees  on  the  steep  mountain  side,  and  will  make 
music  in  your  heart,  if  your  heart  is  tuned  to  its 
music,  even  while  you  are  pushing  your  way 
through  thorny  tanglewood  and  undergrowth? 
Do  you  know  how,  as  you  go  down  the  deep 
mountain  ravines,  with  the  wild  rushing  torrent 

1E.   C.   Clephane. 


'54  On  Following  the  Christ 

far  below,  where  a  single  misstep  would  mean 
so  much,  how  the  breeze  playing  through  the 
leaves  makes  sweetest  melody,  if  your  heart's 
tuned  to  it? 

Well,  this  great  Lone  Man  had  a  heart  tuned 
for  the  music  of  this  road.  The  strong  wind 
of  His  Father's  love  blew  down  through  the 
wild  mountains  into  His  face,  and  made  sweetest 
music,  and  His  ear  was  in  tune  and  heard  it.  He 
had  a  tuning-fork  that  gave  Him  the  true  pitch 
for  the  rarest  music,  while  His  feet  travelled  cau- 
tiously the  deep  wilderness  ravines,  and  boldly 
climbed  through  the  thorny  undergrowth  of  that 
steep  hill  just  outside  the  city  wall.  Obedience  is 
the  rhythm  of  two  wills,  that  blends  their  action 
into  rarest  harmony.  Some  of  us  need  to  use  His 
tuning-fork,1  so  as  to  enjoy  the  music  of  the 
road. 

1  Psalm  xl.  8  f.  c;  John  iv.  34;  Hebrews  xii.  2. 


THE  PLEADING  CALL  TO 
FOLLOW 

Hungry  for  the  Human  Touch. 

God  hungers  for  the  human  touch.  There's  an 
inner  hesitancy  in  saying  this,  and  in  hearing  it. 
We  feel  it  can  hardly  be  so,  even  though  our  in- 
ner hearts  would  wish  it  were  so. 

We  know  that  we  men  hunger  for  the  human 
touch,  the  strongest  of  us.  And  in  our  hour  of 
sore  need  we  know  that  our  inner  hearts  look  up, 
and  wish  we  could  have  a  really  close  touch  with 
God.  Well,  this  is  a  bit  of  the  image  of  God  in 
us.  We  were  made  so,  like  Himself.  In  seeing 
ourselves  here,  we  are  getting  a  closer  look  at 
the  heart  of  God.  He  longs  for  the  human  touch. 
When  He  made  us  He  breathed  into  our  nostrils 
the  breath  of  His  own  life.  And  this  is  not 
simply  a  bit  of  the  first  Genesis  chapter.  It  is  a 
bit  of  every  human  life.  There's  the  breath  of 
God  in  every  new  life  born  into  the  world.  He 
gives  a  bit  of  Himself.  We  are  not  complete 
creatively  until  part  of  Himself  has  come  to  be 
part  of  us. 

And  Jesus'  coming  was  but  the  same  thing  put 
in  yet  more  intense,  close,  appealing  shape  to  us. 
He  came  to  get  us  in  touch  again  after  the  break 
55 


56  On  Following  the  Christ 

of  sin.  He  gave  His  blood  that  we  might  have 
life  again  after  the  sin-break  had  broken  off 
our  life,  and  commenced  to  dry  it  up.  This  was 
an  even  closer  touch.  The  breath  of  God  came  in 
Eden  to  breathe  in  our  lungs.  The  blood  of  His 
Son  came  on  Calvary  to  give  life-action  to  our 
hearts.  Could  there  be  anything  to  make  clearer 
His  hunger  for  the  human  touch? 

The  Holy  Spirit's  presence  spells  out  the  same 
thing  once  more.  There  has  been  every  sort  of 
thing  to  induce  Him  to  go  away.  He  has  been 
ignored,  left  out  of  all  reckoning,  and  talked 
against.  Yet  with  a  patience  beyond  what  that 
word  means  to  us,  He  has  remained  creatively 
in  every  man  as  the  very  breath  of  his  life.  And 
He  comes  and  remains  the  very  breath  of  the 
spirit  life  in  those  who  yield  to  His  pleading 
call. 

Jesus  was  God  coming  after  us.  We  had 
gone  away.  He  came  to  woo  us  back  into  close 
touch  again.  He  came  to  the  nation  of  Israel, 
that  through  it  He  might  reach  out  to  all  men. 
When  He  comes  again  it  will  be  again  to  use 
Israel  as  His  messenger,  while  He  Himself  will 
be  present  on  the  earth  in  a  new  way  to  woo  men 
to  Himself.  When  that  nation's  leaders  rejected 
John's  announcement,  and  so  rejected  our  Lord 
Jesus,  He  began  to  appeal  to  individual  men, 
while  waiting  for  the  nation.  And  the  work  with 
individuals  was  also  His  call  to  the  nation. 

So  the  chief  thing  He  did  was  to  call  men. 
His  presence  was  a  call,  and  the  crowds  flocked 


The  Pleading  Call  to  Follow         57 

to  Him  wherever  He  went.  His  life  of  purity 
and  sympathy  was  felt  as  an  earnest  call  and 
responded  to  eagerly.  His  doings  were  a  very 
intense  call.  Every  healed  man  and  woman, 
every  one  set  free  of  demon  influence,  every  one 
of  the  fed  multitudes,  felt  called  to  this  man  who 
had  helped  him  so.  His  teaching  was  a  con- 
tinual call,  and  His  preaching.  But  above  all 
else  stood  out  the  personal  call  He  gave  men. 
For  our  Lord  Jesus  was  not  content  to  deal  with 
the  crowds  simply;  He  dealt  with  men  one  by 
one  in  intimate  heart  touch. 

Called  to  Go. 


There  are  a  number  of  invitations  He  used 
in  calling  men.  It  was  as  though  in  His  eager- 
ness He  used  every  sort  that  might  go  home. 
And  yet  there  was  more  than  this ;  these  invita- 
tions are  like  successive  steps  up  into  the  life 
He  wanted  them  to  have.  He  said,  "  Come  unto 
Me."  x  This  was  always  the  first,  and  still  re- 
mains first.  It  led,  and  it  leads,  into  rest  of 
heart  and  life,  peace  with  God.  He  quickly  fol- 
lowed it  with  "  Come  ye  after  Me."  2  They  must 
come  to  Him  before  they  could  come  after  Him. 
This  was  found  to  mean  discipleship,  learning 
the  road.  He  would  "  make  "  them  like  Himself 
in  going  after  others. 

He  said,  "  take  My  yoke  upon  you."  3     This 

1  Matthew  xi.  28. 

2Matthew  iv.  19,  with  Luke  v.  1-11. 

"Matthew  xi.  29,  30. 


58  On  Following  the  Christ 

meant  a  bending  down  to  get  into  the  yoke,  a 
surrender  of  will  and  heart  to  Himself,  and  then 
partnership,  fellowship  side-by-side  with  Him- 
self. 

Then  He  spoke  another  word  to  the  innermost 
circle,  on  the  night  in  which  He  was  betrayed. 
He  had  a  long  talk  that  evening  with  the  eleven 
around  the  supper  table,  and  walking  down  to 
the  grove  of  olives  at  the  Brook  of  the  Cedars.1 
Several  times  that  evening  He  used  this  new 
word,  "  abide,"  "  abide  in  Me."  That  means 
staying  with  Him,  not  leaving,  living  continu- 
ously with  Him.  It  means  a  continued  separa- 
tion from  anything  that  would  separate  from 
Him.  And  then  it  means  a  fulness  of  life  com- 
ing from  Himself  into  us  as  we  draw  all  our  life 
from  Himself,  a  rich  ripeness,  a  rounded  matu- 
rity, a  depth  of  life,  and  these  always  becoming 
more, — richer,   rounder,  deeper. 

Then  after  the  awful  days  of  the  cross  were 
past,  on  the  evening  of  the  resurrection  day,  in 
the  upper  room  with  ten  of  the  inner  disciples, 
He  practically  said,  "  You  be  Myself  " ;  "  as  the 
Father  sent  Me,  even  so  send  I  you  "  2 ;  "  You  be 
I."  I  wonder  if  any  one  of  us  has  ever  been 
taken  or  mistaken  for  the  Lord  Jesus.  We 
would  never  know  it,  of  course.  But  He  meant  it 
to  be  so. 

A  Scottish  lady  missionary  in  India  tells  of  a 
Bible  class  of  girls  which  she  had.  She  was 
teaching  them  about  the  life  and  character  of  the 

^ohn  xiii.  31-xvi.  33.  2John  xx.  21. 


The  Pleading  Call  to  Follow         59 

Lord  Jesus.  One  day  a  new  girl  came  in,  fresh 
from  the  heathenism  in  which  she  grew  up, 
knowing  nothing  of  the  Gospel.  She  listened, 
and  then  became  quite  intense  and  excited  in  her 
childish  way,  as  she  heard  them  talking  about 
some  One,  how  good  He  was,  how  gentle,  how 
He  was  always  teaching  and  helping  the  people 
around  Him.  At  last  she  could  restrain  her 
eagerness  no  longer,  but  blurted  out,  "  I  know 
that  man;  he  lives  near  us."  It  was  found  that 
she  did  not  know  about  Christ,  but  supposed 
they  were  speaking  of  a  very  earnest  native 
Christian  man  living  in  her  neighbourhood.  She 
had  mistaken  her  neighbour  for  Jesus.  How  glad 
that  man  must  have  been  if  he  ever  knew.  This 
was  a  part  of  our  Lord's  plan. 

And  at  the  very  end,  these  successive  invita- 
tions took  the  shape  of  a  command,  which  was 
both  a  permission  and  an  order, — "  Go  ye."  1 
Men  who  had  taken  to  heart,  one  after  another, 
these  invitations  were  ready  for  the  command. 
They  would  be  eager  for  it.  The  invitations  were 
the  Master's  preparation  for  the  command.  He 
could  trust  such  men  to  go,  and  to  keep  steady 
and  true  as  they  went,  in  the  power  He  gave 
them. 

There  is  one  word  that  you  find  in  all  these  in- 
vitations— "  Me."  They  all  centre  about  the  Lord 
Jesus.  He  is  the  centre  of  gravity  drawing  every 
one,  in  ever  growing  nearness  and  meaning,  to 
Himself.     It  is  only  when  we  have  been  drawn 

Matthew  xxviii.  18-20. 


60  On  Following  the  Christ 

into  closest  touch  with  Him  that  we  are  quali- 
fied to  "  go "  to  others.  It's  only  Himself  in 
us,  only  as  much  of  Himself  as  is  in  us,  that 
will  be  helpful  to  any  one  else,  or  will  make  any 
one  else  willing  to  break  with  his  old  way.  He  is 
the  only  magnet  to  draw  men  away  from  the  old 
life  up  to  Himself. 


Follow  Me! 


But  there's  one  other  invitation  which  belongs 
in  this  list.  It  proves  to  be  the  greatest  of  them 
all,  because  you  come  to  find  it  includes  all  these 
others.  It's  His  "  Follow  Me."  It  seems  at 
first  glance  to  be  the  same  as  that  "  Come  after 
Me."  But  it  is  the  word  He  repeated  again  and 
again,  under  different  circumstances,  with  added 
explanations,  to  the  same  men,  until  you  feel 
that  He  meant  it  to  stand  out  as  the  great  in- 
vitation to  His  disciples.  It  seems  to  mean  dif- 
ferent things  at  different  times.  That  is  to  say, 
it  grew  in  its  significance.  It  came  to  mean  more 
than  it  had  seemed  to. 

Peter  is  a  good  illustration  here.  The  word 
really  came  to  him  five  times,  with  a  different, 
an  added,  meaning  each  time.  His  first  following 
meant  acquaintance.1  John  the  Herald  had  sent 
his  disciples,  John  and  Andrew,  along  after 
Jesus  as  He  was  walking  one  day  on  the  Jordan 
river  road.  They  followed  Jesus  to  their  first  ac- 
quaintance in  a  two  hours'  talk,  which  quite  satis- 

^ohn  i.  35-42. 


The  Pleading  Call  to  Follow         61 

fled  their  hearts  as  to  who  He  was.  John  never 
forgot  that  first  following.  Every  detail  of  it 
stands  out  in  his  memory  when  long  years  after 
he  began  to  write  his  story  of  the  Master.  An- 
drew went  at  once  to  hunt  up  Peter,  and  brought 
him  face-to-face  with  his  newly  found  Friend  and 
Master.  That  interview  settled  things  for  Peter. 
Andrew's  following  now  included  his.  Follow- 
ing meant  the  beginning  of  the  personal  friend- 
ship which  was  to  mean  so  much  for  both  of 
them. 

It  was  about  a  year  after,  that  "  Follow  Me  " 
had  a  new  meaning  to  Peter  and  some  others.1 
The  invitation  was  an  illustrated  one  this  time, 
illustrated  by  a  living  picture  of  just  what  it 
meant.  It  was  one  morning  by  the  Lake  of 
Galilee.  Peter  and  his  partners  had  had  a  poor 
night's  fishing,  and  were  out  on  shore  washing 
their  nets.  The  Master  had  come  along,  with  a 
great  crowd  pressing  in  to  get  closer  and  hear 
better.  There  was  danger  of  the  crowd  pushing 
the  Master  into  the  water.  The  Master  bor- 
rowed Peter's  boat  for  a  pulpit.  Peter  sat  fac- 
ing the  crowd  while  the  Master  talked  to  them. 

Was  that  the  first  time  the  spell  of  a  crowd 
began  to  get  its  subtle  heart-hold  on  Peter  as  he 
looked  into  their  hungry  eyes?  Who  can  with- 
stand the  great  appeal  of  the  crowd's  eyes? 
Not  our  Lord,  nor  any  that  have  caught  His 
spirit.  Then  the  great  draught  of  fishes,  after 
the  Ashless  night,  made  Peter  feel  the  Master's 

'Matthew  iv.  18-22,  with  Luke  v.  1-11. 


62  On  Following  the  Christ 

power.  Fishes  would  make  him  feel  it,  being-  a 
fisherman,  as  nothing  else  would.  The  sense  of 
Jesus'  power,  and  with  it  a  sense  of  purity — in- 
teresting how  the  power  made  him  feel  the  purity 
— this  brought  him  to  his  knees  at  our  Lord's 
feet  with  the  confession  of  his  own  sinful- 
ness. 

Peter  was  greatly  moved  that  morning,  greatly 
shaken.  A  new  experience  of  tremendous  power 
had  come  to  him.  And  out  of  it  came  a  new 
life,  a  radical  change  as  he  left  the  old  occupa- 
tion, fishing,  boats,  father,  means  of  livelihood, 
and  entered  upon  the  new  life.  "  Follow  Me  " 
meant  a  radical  change  of  life,  constant  com- 
panionship with  Jesus,  sharing  His  life,  going  to 
school,  getting  ready  for  leadership  and  service; 
yes,  and  for  suffering  too.  He  entered  the  Mas- 
ter's itinerant  training  school  that  morning.  A 
man  needs  a  sight  of  the  Lord  Jesus'  power,  a 
feel  of  it,  before  he  is  fit  to  serve,  or  even  to  go 
to  school  to  get  ready  for  service. 

It  was  some  months  after  this  that  another 
meaning  grew  into  the  words  "  Follow  Me," 
and  grew  out  of  them.  The  words  are  not 
spoken  this  time,  but  acted.  Out  of  the  group  of 
disciples  that  He  had  gathered  about  Him  our 
Lord  prayerfully  chose  out  Peter  with  the  others 
to  be  sent  out  as  His  messenger  to  others.1  Part 
of  the  schooling  was  over;  now  a  new  part,  a 
new  term  of  school,  was  to  begin.  He  gave  them 
a  special  talk  that  morning,  and  sent  them  out  to 

Matthew  x.  1-5;  Mark  iii.  14-19;  Luke  vi.  12-17. 


The  Pleading  Call  to  Follow         63 

teach  and  heal  and  do  for  the  crowds  what  He 
had  been  doing. 

He  called  them  Apostles,  Sent-ones,  Mission- 
aries. "  Follow  Me  "  now  meant  going  to  others. 
It  meant  more — power,  power  to  do  for  men  all 
the  Master  Himself  had  done.  First,  power  felt 
that  early  morning  by  the  lake,  now  power  given. 
That  was  a  great  advance  in  training.  Power 
had  to  be  felt  before  it  could  be  given,  and  has 
to  be  felt  before  it  can  be  used.  Only  as  the 
power  takes  hold  of  our  inner  hearts  to  the  feel- 
ing point,  will  it  ever  take  hold  of  others.  And 
no  life  is  changed  through  our  service  till  power 
takes  hold  of  us  to  the  feeling  point. 

The  Deeper  Meaning. 

But  there  was  a  special  session  of  the  "  Follow 
Me "  school^  one  day,  a  very  serious  session.1 
They  had  to  be  shown  the  red  threads  in  the 
weave  of  the  word.  The  words  had  to  be  held 
under  the  knife,  so  they  could  look  into  the  cut, 
and  see  the  deeper  meaning.  "  Follow  Me " 
had  to  take  deeper  hold  of  them  yet,  if  His  power 
was  to  get  the  deeper  hold  of  them,  and,  by  and 
by,  get  hold  of  the  needy  crowds.  The  very 
setting  of  the  words  gives  the  new  meaning  to 
them.  John  had  felt  the  keen  edge  of  Herod's 
axe  blade,  and  was  now  in  the  upper  presence. 
They  were  up  in  the  far  northern  part  because 

Matthew  xvi.  13-28. 


6\  On  Following  the  Christ 

of  the  growing  danger  threatening  Him  by  the 
leaders. 

It  is  the  turning  point  where  our  Lord  Jesus 
begins  to  tell  them  that  He  was  to  suffer.  Their 
ears  could  not  take  in  the  words.  Their  dazed 
eyes  show  that  they  think  they  could  not  have 
heard  aright, — He  to  suffer!  What  could  this 
mean?  They  hadn't  figured  on  this  when  they 
left  the  nets  and  boats  to  follow.  There  had  been 
a  rosy  glamour  filling  impulsive  Peter's  self-con- 
fident sky.  Now  this  black  storm  cloud !  Then 
to  Peter's  foolhardy  daring  came  words  spoken 
with  a  new  intense  quietness  that  made  the  words 
quiver:  "If  any  man  would  come  after  Me, 
let  him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross  daily 
and  'Follow  Me.'"1 

This  was  startling  to  a  terrific  degree.  Here 
was  a  new,  strange,  perplexing  combination — ■ 
"  deny  himself,"  and  "  cross,"  coupled  with  His 
"Follow  Me."  What  could  He  mean?  This 
was  surely  some  of  His  intensely  figurative  lan- 
guage again,  they  think.  Yes,  it  surely  was  ;  and 
it  stood  for  a  yet  intenser  experience.  "  Follow 
Me  "  means  sacrifice.  It  means  a  going  down 
as  well  as  a  going  up.  And  it  proves  to  mean 
that  one  can  go  up  in  power  and  service,  only  as 
far  as  he  has  gone  down  in  the  obedience  that  in- 
cludes sacrifice.  Did  Peter  take  in  the  meaning 
that  day?  I  think  not.  Actions  speak  louder 
than  words. 

That  betrayal  night  a  few  short  months  after, 

Matthew  xvi.  24;  Mark  viii.  341  Luke  ix.  23. 


The  Pleading  Call  to  Follow         65 

when  the  actual  cross  was  almost  in  actual  sight, 
he  "  followed  Him  afar  off."  1  Without  know- 
ing it,  that  was  as  far  as  he  had  ever  really- 
followed  thus  far.  He  wanted  to  keep  as  "  far 
off "  from  that  cross  as  possible.  He  always 
had.  He  baulked  at  its  first  mention,  baulked 
tremendously.  Yet  he  "  followed."  Poor  Peter! 
he  was  in  a  terrible  strait  betwixt  two,  this 
wondrous  Master  whom  he  really  loved,  and  this 
threatening  cross  of  nails  and  thongs  and  thorns. 
It  was  a  stiff  struggle  between  heart  and 
flesh;  between  the  longing  of  his  love  and 
the  shrinking  from  pain  and  hardship  and 
shame. 

And  Peter's  kinsfolk  are  still  having  the  same 
struggle.  A  great  many  stop  here.  This  is 
going  too  far  !  They  prefer  staying  by  the  easier 
"  Follow  Me's,"  and  forgetting  this  one.  Yes, 
and  go  on  living  powerless  lives,  and  engaging 
in  powerless'  service,  when  the  crowds  were 
never  so  needy. 

Peter  didn't  follow  this  time.  The  road  was 
too  rough.  He  stumbled  and  fell  badly.  Badly? 
Still  no  worse  than  many  others.  When  he  got 
up  he  was  still  facing  the  same  way.  You  can 
always  tell  a  man's  mettle  by  the  way  he  faces 
as  he  gets  up  after  a  bad  fall. 

Six  months  or  so  after  there  came  another 
"  Follow  Me,"  to  Peter.  No,  it  wasn't  another ; 
it  was  the  same  one,  the  one  he  hadn't  accepted. 
Peter  was  to  have  another  opportunity  at  the 

Matthew  xxvi.  58. 


66  On  Following  the  Christ 

same  place  where  he  fell  so  badly.  How  patient 
our  Lord  Jesus  was — and  is. 

It  was  one  morning  just  after  breakfast — a 
rare  breakfast — on  the  edge  of  the  lake,  after  as 
poor  a  night's  fishing  as  that  other  time.1  Again 
the  touch  of  power  revealed  the  Master's  pres- 
ence. Again  Peter  had  a  special  word  with  the 
Master  while  the  others  are  hauling  in  the  fish. 
Now  breakfast's  over  and  the  seven  are  grouped 
about  the  One,  listening.  The  Lord's  quiet 
skilled  hand  touches  the  heart  meaning  of  "  Fol- 
low Me."  Its  real  meaning  is  a  love  meaning. 
Do  you  love?  Then  "Follow  Me."  Then  you 
must  follow,  your  love  draws  you  after,  even 
though  the  path  be  rough  and  broken. 

This  is  the  same  "  Follow  Me "  that  Peter 
baulked  at  so  badly  months  before.  Its  meaning 
had  not  changed.  It  would  mean  a  death,  Peter  is 
plainly  told.  But  now  Peter  baulks  no  longer. 
The  Master's  great  love  had  taught  Him  how 
really  to  love.  And  now  not  even  a  cross  for 
himself  would  or  could  keep  him  from  following 
close  up  to  such  a  Master. 

Here  is  the  meaning  of  "  Follow  Me  "  as  it 
worked  out  in  Peter's  experience — acquaintance, 
a  new  life,  schooling,  service,  a  sight  of  sacrifice, 
and  a  baulking,  then — a  sight  of  Jesus  on  the 
cross,  and  then  a  willingness  to  go  on  even 
though  it  meant  the  sorest  sacrifice.  This  is  an 
etching  of  the  road  Peter  actually  went,  an  etch- 
ing  in   black   and   white,    with   the   black   very 

aJohn  xxi.  15-19. 


The  Pleading  Call  to  Follow         67 

black.  Is  it  a  picture  of  your  road?  But  per- 
haps you  have  never  filled  out  the  last  part — still 
back  at  that  baulking  place.  In  the  thick  of  our 
present  life,  in  the  noise  and  din  of  the  street  of 
modern  life,  comes  as  of  old  the  quiet,  clear,  in- 
sistent call  "  Follow  Me." 


Getting  in  Behind. 

But,  some  one  says,  how  can  we  really  follow 
this  Lone  Man,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  He  was 
so  pure  in  His  life,  stainless  in  motive,  and  un- 
stained in  character.  And  we — well,  the  nearer 
we  get  to  Him  the  more  instinctively  we  find 
Peter's  lakeshore  cry  starting  up  within,  "  I  am 
a  sinful  man."  His  very  presence  makes  us 
feel  the  sin,  the  sin-instinct,  the  old  selfish  some- 
thing within.  How  can  we  really  follow?  And 
the  answer  that  comes  is  a  real  answer.  It  an- 
swers the  inner  heart-cry. 

It  is  this :  we  begin  where  He  ended.  The 
cross  was  the  end  of  His  life.  It  must  be  the 
beginning  of  ours.  It  was  the  climax  of  His 
obedience.  All  the  lines  of  His  life  come  to- 
gether at  the  cross.  It  is  the  beginning  for  us. 
All  the  lines  of  our  lives,  the  lines  of  purity,  of 
character,  of  service,  of  power,  run  back  to  the 
one  starting  point.  And  we  come  to  find — some 
of  us  pretty  slowly — that  it  is  only  the  lines  that 
do  start  there  that  lead  to  anything  worth  while. 
The  starting  point  for  the  true  life,  and  for  real 
service  is  very  clear.     And  if  any  of  us  have 


68  On  Following  the  Christ 

made  a  false  start,  it  will  be  a  tremendous  saving 
to  drop  things  and  go  back  and  get  the  true  start. 
"  The  blood  of  Jesus  His  Son  cleanseth  from  all 
sin  " — this  is  the  only  point  from  which  to  start 
the  "  Follow  Me  "  life.  •  "  Follow  Me  "  does  not 
mean  imitation.  It  means  reincarnation.  It's 
some  One  coming  to  re-live  His  life  in  us.  He 
died  that  His  life  might  be  loosed  out  to  be  re- 
lived in  us. 

I  have  already  spoken  of  this  as  being  a  call 
to  friendship.  All  the  rest  that  comes  is  meant 
to  be  what  naturally  grows  out  of  this  friend- 
ship. Peter  never  forgot  his  last  "  Follow  Me  " 
call.  "  Lovest  thou  Me?  "  Then  thou  mayest  fol- 
low. This  greatly  sweetens  all  the  rest.  It's  all 
for  Him ! — our  friend.  Out  of  this  personal  re- 
lation comes  service,  power  in  service,  suffering 
because  of  opposition  to  Him  whom  we  serve, 
and  joy  because  we  may  suffer  on  His  account.1 

Matthew  became  His  friend  that  day  down  at 
the  little  customs-shed  at  the  Capernaum  water 
edge.  And  out  of  that  friendship  grew  our  first 
gospel.  John  lived  very  close,  and  out  of  his 
intimacy  came  the  gospel  t'hat  reveals  to  us 
most  the  inner  heart  of  our  Lord,  and  His  own 
intimacy  of  relation  with  the  Father.  And  out 
of  that  friendship  came,  too,  not  only  John's 
wonderful  little  "  abiding  "  epistle,2  but  the  Reve- 
lation book,  which  gives  us  an  inkling  of  the 
coming  in  of  the  Kingdom  time  that  lies  so  near 
to  our  Lord's  heart.     Out  of  such  intimacy  of 

*Acts  v.  41.  2I  John. 


The  Pleading  Call  to  Follow         69 

touch  grew  Stephen's  ringing  address  before  the 
Jewish  council,  and — his  stormy,  stony  exit,  out 
and  up  into  his  Master's  presence. 

And  time  would  fail  me  to  tell  of  those  in  every 
corner  of  the  earth,  and  every  generation  since 
our  Lord  was  here,  who  have  served  and  suffered 
because  they  loved  Him  and  followed.  Hidden 
away  in  the  rocks  and  caves  of  France  from  the 
fires  of  persecution,  the  Huguenots  sang  their 
favourite  hymn: 

"  I  have  a  friend  so  precious, 
So  very  dear  to  me, 
He  loves  me  with  such  tender  love, 
He   loves   so    faithfully. 

I  could  not  live  apart  from  Him, 

I  love  to  feel  Him  nigh, 
And  so  we  dwell  together, 

My  Lord  and  I." 

When  I  was  in  China  a  year  ago,  my  heart 
caught  some  of  the  distant  echoes  of  that  sort  of 
singing,  by  Chinese  Christians,  in  the  midst  of 
the  fiery  persecutions  of  the  Boxer  time.  And  I 
heard  the  same  sad,  glad  undertone  last  year 
out  in  Corea,  in  the  homes  we  visited,  whose 
loved  ones  were  behind  prison  bars  for  their 
Friend's  sake. 

One  of  the  latest  chapters  of  this  friendship's 
outcome  is  only  just  closed  in  the  story  of  that 
quiet,  young  friend  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  William 
Whiting  Borden,  who  sat  down  a  little  while  ago, 
and  so  placed  the  wealth  left  him  that  the  world 
might  learn  of  his  Friend,  and  then  went  out  and 


70  On  Following  the  Christ 

laid  down  his  life  in  Egypt  in  this  same  passion 
of  friendship.  So  the  earth's  sod  in  every  corner 
has  known  the  fertilizing  of  such  friendship 
blood,  and  shall  some  day  know  a  wondrous  har- 
vest under  our  great  Friend's  own  gleaning. 

And  this  is  why  He  asks  us  to  follow.  He 
needs  our  help.  Our  Lord  Jesus  gave  His  pre- 
cious life  blood  to  redeem  the  world,  to  set  it  free 
from  its  sin-slavery.  But  there  are  two  parts  to 
that  redemption,  His  and  ours.  These  two  parts 
are  strikingly  brought  out  by  a  single  word  in 
the  beginning  of  the  book  of  Acts,1  the  word 
"  began."  Luke  says  that  what  he  has  been  writ- 
ing in  his  Gospel  of  the  life  and  death  of  Jesus 
was  only  a  beginning.  This  was  what  "  He  be- 
gan both  to  do  and  to  teach."  It  is  usually  ex- 
plained that  what  our  Lord  Jesus  began  in  the 
Gospels,  the  Holy  Spirit  continued  to  do  in  the 
Acts,  and  to  teach  in  the  Epistles.  And  this  is 
no  doubt  true.    But  there  is  still  more  here. 

The  Holy  Spirit  continued  and  continues 
through  men  what  He  began  through  Jesus. 
There  is  a  second  part  to  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion, our  part,  the  Holy  Spirit  working  through 
us.  There  had  to  be  a  first  part;  that  was 
the  great  part.  There  could  be  no  second  with- 
out a  first.  That  first  part  was  done  when  our 
Lord  Jesus  was  hurt  to  death  for  us.  That  is 
the  great  first  part.  Yet  in  doing  that  He  had 
but  begun  something.  He  touched  Palestine. 
We  are  to  cover  the  earth.    He  touched  one  na- 

JActs  i.  i. 


The  Pleading  Call  to  Follow         71 

tion ;  we  are  to  go  to  all  nations.  We  are  to  con- 
tinue what  He  began.  The  work  of  redemption 
was  finished  on  the  cross  so  far  as  He  was  con- 
cerned; but  not  yet  finished  so  far  as  its  being 
taken  to  "  all  the  world "  was  concerned.  He 
needs  us.  This  is  why  He  asks  us  to  follow.  He 
needs  our  co-operation. 

The  second  great  factor  in  carrying  out  what 
He  began  is — how  shall  I  put  it?  Shall  I  say, 
men  and  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  You  say,  "  No,  change 
that,  say  the  Holy  Spirit  and  men.  Put  the 
Spirit  first."  Well,  the  order  of  these  two  de- 
pends on  where  you  are  standing.  If  you  are 
standing  at  the  Father's  right  hand,  you  say  "  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  men."  For  the  power  is  all  in 
the  Holy  Spirit.  He  is  the  power.  There  can 
be  nothing  done  without  Him.  Whatever  is  done 
in  which  He  is  not  dominant  amounts  to  nothing. 
How  I  wish  we  men  might  have  that  tremendous 
fact  grip  lis  in  these  days  when  the  whole  em- 
phasis is  on  organization. 

But,  very  reverently  let  me  say  this,  and  I  say 
it  thus  plainly  that  we  may  know  how  much  our 
Lord  Jesus  is  depending  on  us,  how  really  He 
needs  us, — this,  that  since  we  are  on  the  earth, 
in  the  place  of  human  action,  where  the  fighting 
is  to  be  done,  it  is  accurate  to  say  with  utmost 
reverence,  "  men  and  the  Holy  Spirit."  For 
mark  keenly,  the  initiative  is  in  human  hands. 
God's  action  has  always  waited  on  human  action. 
The  power  is  only  in  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  most 
astute  and  strong  leadership  amounts  to  nothing 


72  On  Following  the  Christ 

without  Him  flooding  it  with  His  presence.  But 
the  power  needs  a  channel.  The  Spirit  needs 
men  strongly  pliant  to  His  will.  The  great 
world-plan  waits,  and  always  has  waited,  for 
willing  men.  And  so  our  great  Friend  asks  us 
to  follow  because  He  really  needs  us  in  His 
plan. 

Have  you  ever  noticed  the  picture  in  the  word 
"  follow  "  ?  You  remember  that  the  earliest  lan- 
guage was  picture  language.  And  it  is  a  great 
help  sometimes  to  dig  down  under  a  word  and 
get  the  picture.  Here,  it  is  a  man  standing  on 
a  roadway,  earnestly  beckoning,  and  pointing  to 
the  road  he  is  in.  The  Old  Testament  word 
means  literally  "  same  road."  The  very  word 
the  Master  Himself  used  means  "  in  behind." 

To-night  this  wondrous  Lord  Jesus  stands 
just  ahead.  His  face  still  shows  where  the  thorns 
cut  and  the  thongs  tore.  But  there  is  a  marvel- 
lous tenderness  and  pleading  in  those  great  pa- 
tient eyes.  His  hand  is  reached  out  beckoning, 
and  you  cannot  miss  the  hole  in  the  palm  of  it. 
The  hand  points  to  the  road  He  trod  for  us.  And 
His  voice  calls  pleadingly,  "  Take  this  same  road ; 
get  in  behind.  I  need  your  help  with  My 
world." 


Selling  All. 

And  yet — and  yet .    Do  you  remember  one 

time  our  Lord  turned  to  the  crowds  that  were  fol- 
lowing and  told  them  it  would  be  better  to  count 


The  Pleading  Call  to  Follow         73 

up  the  cost  before  deciding  to  be  His  disciples?1 
He  feared  if  they  didn't  there  would  be  "  mock- 
ing "  by  outsiders  because  His  followers'  lives 
didn't  square  with  their  profession.  His  fear 
seems  to  have  been  well  founded.  There  seems 
to  be  quite  a  bit  of  that  sort  of  mocking.  It's 
better  to  count  the  cost,  to  know  what  following 
really  means. 

A  Salvation  Army  officer  in  Calcutta  tells  about 
a  young  handsome  Hindu  of  an  aristocratic 
family.  One  day  he  came  in,  drew  out  a  New 
Testament,  and  asked  the  meaning  of  the  words, 
"  sell  whatsoever  thou  hast,"  in  the  story  of  the 
rich  young  ruler.2  The  Salvationist  told  him  it 
meant  that  if  a  man's  possessions  stood  in  the 
way  of  his  becoming  a  Christian  he  must  be  will- 
ing, if  need  be,  to  dispose  of  them  for  the  needy. 
To  his  surprise  the  young  man  quietly  said,  "  I 
fear  you  don't  understand." 

"  Do  ydu  want  to  be  a  Christian  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  I'm  not  willing  to  sell  all  that  I 
possess." 

After  a  little  more  talk  the  young  Indian  left. 
Sometime  after  he  appeared  at  one  of  the  Salva- 
tion Army  meetings,  and  when  the  opportunity 
was  given  for  those  who  would  accept  Christ  to 
kneel  at  the  altar,  at  once  he  started  forward. 
But  instantly  a  storm  broke  out  in  the  crowded 
meeting.  A  group  of  men  rushed  'forward, 
shouting  angrily,  seized  the  young  man  and  bore 
him  bodily  out  while  the  crowd  watched  in  ten- 

1Luke  xiv.  25-35.  2Mark  x.  17-22. 


74  On  Following  the  Christ 

ror.  A  few  weeks  later  the  young  man  turned 
up  again,  asking  to  be  taken  in  and  quietly  say- 
ing, "  I  have  begun  to  sell  all." 

Then  his  story  came  out.  A  Bible  had  come 
into  his  hands ;  the  character  and  call  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  made  a  great  appeal  to  him.  He  was 
haunted  by  the  words,  "  sell  whatsoever  thou 
hast."  He  felt  he  knew  what  it  meant  for  him. 
His  family  heard  of  his  interest  in  Christianity. 
They  belonged  to  the  highest  class,  were  wealthy 
and  officially  connected  with  the  heathen  temple- 
worship.  They  did  their  best  to  dissuade  him, 
then  finding  that  useless,  they  kept  watch,  and 
had  him  forcibly  taken  from  the  meeting  where 
he  was  about  to  openly  confess  Christ.  The  en- 
treaties of  his  father  and  mother  shook  him 
greatly  but  failed  to  change  his  decision.  He 
had  been  imprisoned,  chained  hand  and  foot,  and 
scantily  fed,  but  all  to  no  purpose.  Then  he 
managed  to  escape  and  came  to  the  one  Christian 
place  he  knew,  the  Salvation  Army,  and  asked  to 
be  taken  in. 

After  about  two  weeks  he  disappeared  as 
abruptly  as  he  came.  Then  one  day  he  came 
back,  and  told  his  Salvation  friend  that  he  had 
been  carried  to  Benares,  their  holy  city,  and 
forced  to  bathe  in  the  Ganges.  "  But,"  he  said, 
"  as  I  stood  in  the  water  of  the  Ganges,  I  said, 
1  Lord  Jesus,  wash  me  in  Thy  precious  blood/ 
and  when  I  was  forced  to  bow  to  idols,  I  bowed 
my  soul  to  the  eternal  Father  and  said,  *  Thou  art 
God  alone.'  "    His  mother  had  implored  him  on 


The  Pleading  Call  to  Follow         75 

her  knees  not  to  disgrace  them ;  his  tutor,  whom 
he  loved  dearly,  and  his  brothers  had  joined  the 
father  in  their  plea  not  to  bring  such  shame  on 
the  family.  "  Well,"  the  Salvationist  said,  "  now, 
you  know  the  meaning  of  '  sell  whatsoever  thou 
hast/  "  "  Not  yet,"  he  said,  "  but  I  have  sold 
nearly  all." 

Again  he  came  back  and  said  quietly,  "  /  have 
sold  all."  He  appeared  deeply  grief-stricken, 
and  yet  there  was  a  light  shining  in  his  eye.  In 
answer  to  questions  he  said,  "  I  have  not  only 
ceased  to  be  a  Brahmin,  I  have  ceased  to  be  a 
human  being.  I  am  not  only  an  outcast,  I  am 
dead.  I  have  neither  father,  mother,  brothers, 
nor  sisters.  I  have  been  burned  in  effigy,  and  the 
ashes  buried.  It  was  not  the  effigy  they  burned ; 
it  was  I.  My  father  would  not  recognize  me 
now  if  he  met  me  on  the  street,  nor  would  my 
mother.  I  am  dead.  I  have  been  buried.  It  is 
the  end.     I  have  sold  all."1 

He  had  counted  the  cost.  Then  though  it 
meant  so  much,  he  followed.  The  rich  young 
Jew  to  whom  the  words  were  first  spoken,  saw 
things  bigger  than  Jesus ;  the  rich  young  Hindu 
saw  Jesus  bigger.  Each  held  to  what  he  prized 
most,  and  let  the  other  go.  Would  it  not  be  bet- 
ter if  we  were  to  count  the  cost,  and  then  de- 
liberately decide  ?  and  if  it  be  to  follow,  then  fol- 
low all  the  way?  I  want  to  talk  a  little  later 
about  what  it  means  to  follow.     I  hope  this  will 

xIn  "  Other  Sheep,"  by  Harold  Begbie. 


76  On  Following  the  Christ 

help  us  a  little  in  our  calculations,  in  counting  the 
cost  before  starting  in  to  follow  fully. 

And  yet,  and  yet,  may  the  vision  of  the  Lone 
Man  in  the  road,  beckoning,  flood  our  eyes  while 
we  count  the  cost,  even  as  with  the  young 
Hindu. 


WHAT  FOLLOWING  MEANS 

1.  A  Look  Ahead. 

2.  The  Main  Road. 

3.  The  Valleys. 

4.  The  Hilltops. 


1.  A  LOOK  AHEAD 

Saltless  Salt. 

The  Lord  Jesus  never  tried  to  make  things 
look  easier  than  they  are.  He  wanted  you  to  see 
the  road  just  as  it  is,  and  asked  you  to  look  at 
it  carefully.  He  knew  this  was  the  only  right 
way  to  do.  He  knew  that  so  the  sinews  would 
be  grown  in  character  that  would  stand  the  tests 
coming,  and  only  so. 

It  was  never  His  plan  to  increase  the  numbers 
by  cutting  down  the  doorsills  so  men  could  get 
in  more  easily.  That  was  a  later  arrangement. 
He  was  never  concerned  for  numbers,  but  for 
right  and  truth.  A  man  walking  alone  down 
the  middle  of  the  one  true  path  was  more  to  Him, 
immensely  more,  than  a  great  crowd  wabbling 
along  on  the  edge,  half  out,  half  in,  neither 
in  nor  out,  and  so  really  out  but  not  knowing 
it.  If  they  were  really  out  and  knew  it,  it  would 
be  better,  for  they  could  see  more  distinctly  the 
path  they  were  not  in,  its  straightness  and  attract- 
iveness. 

This  sort  of  thing  grew  more  marked  with  our 

Lord  Jesus  as  the  end  drew  on,  the  tragic  end. 

The   crowds    thickened    about   Him    those    last 

months.     They  liked  good  bread,  and  plenty  of 

79 


80  On  Following  the  Christ 

it,  and  healed  bodies,  pain  gone.  And  He  liked 
to  give  them  these.  He  helped  just  as  far  as 
they  would  let  Him.  But  He  wanted  to  give 
them  more.  He  knew  this  other  was  only  tem- 
porary. He  was  more  concerned  about  healing 
the  spirit  of  its  disease,  and  giving  the  more 
abundant  life.  And  full  well  He  knew  that  only 
the  knife  could  help  many.  And  the  knife  had 
to  be  freshly  sharpened,  and  used  with  strong 
decisive  hand,  if  healing  and  life  were  to  come. 

And  men  haven't  changed,  nor  the  diseases 
that  hurt  their  life,  nor  the  Master,  nor  the 
tender  love  of  His  heart.  But  there's  more  than 
knife;  there's  fulness  of  life  following.  He 
would  have  us  get  the  life  even  though  it  means 
the  knife.  Most  times — every  time,  shall  I  say? 
— the  life  comes  only  through  the  knife.  Yet 
when  the  life  has  come,  with  its  great  tireless 
strength,  and  its  deep  breathing,  and  sheer  de- 
light of  living,  you  are  grateful  for  the  knife 
that  led  the  way  to  such  life. 

One  day  our  Lord  entered  a  vigorous  pro- 
test against  the  wrong  sort  of  salt,1  saltless  salt, 
the  sort  that  seemed  to  be  salt,  and  you  used  it 
and  depended  on  it,  and  then  found  how  unsalty 
it  was,  for  the  thing  you  depended  on  it  to  pre- 
serve, had  gone  bad.  The  great  need  is  for 
salty  salt.  There  still  seems  to  be  a  great  lot  of 
this  saltless  salt  in  use.  It's  labelled  salt,  and  so 
it's  used  as  salt,  but  it  befools  you.  The  saltiness 
has  been  lost  out,  and  the  man  using  it  wakes  up 

*Luke  xiv.  25-35,  with  Matthew  v.  13. 


A  Look  Ahead  8 1 

to  find  out  how  great  is  the  loss,  loss  of  what  he 
thought  he  had  salted,  and  loss  of  time,  character 
and  time,  the  character  of  that  salted  with  saltless 
salt,  and  the  time  spent. 

It  would  be  an  immense  clearing  of  the  reli- 
gious situation  to-day  on  both  sides  of  the  At- 
lantic, if  the  saltless  salt  could  be  got  rid  of, 
either  by  removing  the  unsaltiness  in  it — though 
that  seems  a  hopeless  task,  it's  so  unsalty,  and 
there  is  so  much  of  it,  and  such  a  large  pro- 
portion of  it,  and  it's  so  well  content  with  be- 
ing just  as  unsalty  as  it  is.  Or,  the  only  other 
thing  is  put  very  simply  and  vigorously  by  the 
Lord  in  a  short  intense  sentence,  "  Cast  it  out." 
Out  with  it.  And  lots  of  it  is  out  so  far  as  pre- 
servative usefulness  is  concerned. 

And  yet  with  wondrous  patience  He  puts  up 
with  a  great  deal  of  salt  that  seems  to  have 
nearly  reached  the  utterly  saltless  stage,  hoping 
to  get  rid  of  the  unsaltiness,  and  then  to  give  it  a 
new  saltiness.  For,  be  it  keenly  marked,  when 
the  saltiness  has  quite  gone  out  of  the  salt,  when 
the  preservative  quality  has  quite  gone  out  from 
that  body  of  people  which  He  has  placed  in  the 
world  as  its  moral  preservative, — then  look  out. 
Aye,  "  look  up,"  x  for  that's  the  only  direction 
from  which  any  help  can  relieve  the  desperate- 
ness  of  the  situation.  And  "  lift  up  your  heads," 
for  then  comes  a  new  preservative  to  the  rotting 
earth-life.  But  some  of  us  will  smell  the  smell 
of  the  decay  before  the  new  salt  begins  to  work. 

*Luke  xxi.  28. 


82  On  Following  the  Christ 

The  Thing  in  Us  That  Wants  Things. 

It  was  along  toward  that  tragic  end,  when  the 
tension  was  tightening  up  to  the  snapping  point, 
the  bitter  hatred  of  the  leaders  yet  more  bitter, 
the  crowds  yet  denser,  the  terms  of  discipleship 
yet  more  plainly  put  with  loving,  faithful  plain- 
ness, that  a  characteristic  incident  happened.1  A 
young  man  of  gentle  blood  and  breeding,  and  in- 
fluential position,  came  eagerly,  courteously  el- 
bowing his  way  through  the  crowd  that  gathered 
thick  about.  Our  Lord  had  just  risen  from  where 
He  had  been  sitting  teaching,  when  this  young 
man,  in  his  eagerness,  came  running  to  Him. 
With  deep  reverence  of  spirit  he  knelt  down  in 
the  road,  and  began  asking  about  the  true  life, 
the  secret  of  living  it.  Our  Lord  begins  talking 
about  being  true  in  all  his  dealings  with  his 
fellow-men.  The  young  man  earnestly  assured 
Him  that  he  had  paid  great  attention  to  this,  and 
felt  that  there  was  nothing  lacking  in  him  on 
this  score. 

The  utter  sincerity  and  earnestness  of  his  spirit 
was  so  clear  that  the  Master's  love  was  drawn 
out  to  him.  And  He  showed  His  love  in  a  way 
characteristic  of  Him  in  dealing  with  those  who 
want  to  go  to  the  whole  length  of  the  true  road. 
That  is,  He  talked  very  plainly  to  him.  There 
were  four  things  to  do  beforehand,  He  said, 
four  starting  steps  into  this  life  he  was  so  eager 
*Mark  x.   17-22. 


A  Look  Ahead  83 

to  enter.  Four  words  tell  the  four  steps :  "  go," 
"  sell,"  "  give,"  and  "  come." 

"  Go  "  meant  the  decisive  starting  in  on  this 
way ;  "  sell "  meant  putting  everything  into 
the  Father's  hand  for  His  disposal  as  He  alone 
might  choose.  "  Give  "  meant  using  everything, 
everything  you  are,  and  have,  and  can  influence, 
as  He  bids  you.  "  Come  "  meant  this  new  man, 
this  decisive,  emptied,  now  trusted  man,  trusted 
as  a  trustee,  coming  into  a  new  personal  rela- 
tion with  the  Lord  Jesus. 

The  first  three  things  were  important  because 
they  revealed  the  man.  But  the  thing  was  that 
the  man,  this  new-emptied  and  now  God-trusted 
man,  should  come  into  personal  touch  with  the 
Lord  Jesus.  The  things  he  had  and  held  on  to 
came  in  between.  When  they  no  longer  came 
in  to  separate,  then,  and  only  then,  was  he  ready 
to  get  "  in  behind "  and  "  follow  "  along  the 
"  same  road."  For  this  is  the  friendship  road. 
Only  friends  are  allowed  here,  inner  friends, 
those  who  come  in  by  that  gateway.  There 
must  be  the  personal  touch.  Things  that  stand 
in  the  way  of  that  must  be  straightened  out. 

It  was  rather  a  startling  answer.  The  young 
man  was  startled  tremendously.  The  way  to 
come  in  is  first  to  go  out.  The  way  to  get  is 
first  to  give.  The  way  to  buy  what  you  want 
is  to  sell  what  you  have.  That  is  to  say,  the  way 
for  this  young  man  to  get  what  he  was  so 
eager  for  was  to  get  rid  of  what  he  already  had. 
And  yet  it  wasn't  getting  rid  of  the  things  the 


84  On  Following  the  Christ 

Master  was  thinking  about,  but  getting  rid  of 
the  thing  in  him  that  wanted  the  things,  getting 
rid  of  their  hold  upon  him.  Our  Lord  Jesus 
wanted,  and  wants,  free  men,  emptied  men.  He 
wants  the  strength  in  the  man  that  the  emptying 
and  selling  process  gives.  This  is  the  laboratory 
where  the  unsaltiness  is  being  burned  out,  and 
the  new  salty  saltiness  being  generated,  put  in. 

This  young  fellow  couldn't  stand  the  test.  So 
many  can't.  No,  I'm  getting  the  words  wrong. 
He  wouldn't  stand  it;  so  many  won't.  The 
slavery  of  things  was  too  much.  The  thing  in 
him  that  wanted  the  things  was  stronger  than 
the  thing  that  wanted  the  true  life.  He  was  too 
weak  to  make  that  "  go  "  decision.  He  belonged 
to  the  weakly  fellowship  of  the  saltless  ones. 
They  are  not  wholly  saltless,  but  that's  the  chief 
thing  that  marks  them.  It's  a  long-lived  fellow- 
ship, continuing  to  this  day,  with  a  large  member- 
ship in  good  and  regular  standing. 

I  think  the  real  trouble  with  this  fine-grained 
lovable  young  man  was  in  his  eyes,  the  way  they 
looked,  what  they  saw.  It  was  a  matter  of  see- 
ing things  in  true  perspective.  He  didn't  get  a 
good  look  at  the  Man  he  asked  his  question  of. 
He  was  looking  so  intently  at  the  things  that  he 
couldn't  get  the  use  of  his  eyes  for  a  good  look 
at  the  Man.  This  is  a  very  common  eye-trouble. 
He  was  all  right  outward,  toward  his  fellows, 
but  he  wasn't  all  right  upward  toward  the 
Father. 

And  yet  even  that  statement  must  be  changed. 


A  Look  Ahead  85 

For  a  man  cannot  be  right  with  his  fellows  who 
is  not  right  with  God.  When  God  doesn't  have 
the  passion  of  the  heart,  our  fellows  don't  have 
all  they  should  properly  have  from  us;  there  is 
a  lack.  The  common  law  may  be  kept,  the 
pounds  and  yards  may  weigh  and  measure  off 
fully  what  is  due  them  from  us,  but  the  un- 
common law,  the  love-law  is  not  being  kept.  The 
warm  spirit  that  should  breathe  out  through  all 
our  dealings  is  lacking.  It's  been  checked  by  the 
check  in  the  upper  movement.  Only  the  spirit 
that  flows  freely  up,  ever  flows  freely  out. 

That  young  Indian  aristocrat  we  spoke  of  else- 
where got  a  sight  of  Jesus.  That  settled  things 
for  him,  including  even  such  sacred  things  as 
human  loves.  This  young  Jewish  aristocrat 
couldn't  get  his  eyes  off  of  the  things.  So 
many  "  thing  "-slaves  there  are,  so  much 
"  thing  "-slavery.  If  only  there  were  the  sight 
of  His  face!  His  face;  torn?  yes;  scarred?  yes 
again,  but  oh,  the  strength  and  light  and  love  in 
it! 

Do  you  remember  that  other  young  Jewish, 
university-trained  aristocrat?  He  got  a  look, 
one  good  long  look-in-the-face  look  of  that  face, 
one  day,  on  the  road  up  to  the  northern  Syrian 
capital.  The  light  of  it  flooded  his  face,  and 
strangely  affected  him.  He  said  "  when  I  could 
not  see  for  the  glory  of  that  light."  1  He  couldn't 
see  things  for  Him.  The  sight  of  Him  blurred 
out  the  things. 

xActs  xxii.  11,  with  ix.  1-9. 


86  On  Following  the  Christ 

The  great  need  to-day  is  for  a  sight  of  Him. 
Lord  Jesus,  if  Thou  wouldst  show  us  Thy  "  hands 
and  feet "  again,  and  torn  face,  even  as  in  the 
upper  room  that  resurrection  evening,1  for  that's 
what  we  are  needing.  And  yet,  Thou  art  doing 
just  that,  but  the  things  so  hold  our  vision !  And 
the  Master's  answer  is  the  same  as  to  the  young 
Jew.  We  need  the  decisive  "  go  " ;  the  incisive, 
inclusive  "  sell  " ;  the  privileged  "  give  " ;  the  new- 
meaninged  "  come "  into  His  presence.  And 
then  we  may  get  "  in  behind  "  Him,  and  follow 
close  up  in  the  "  same  road,"  with  eyes  for  naught 
but  Himself. 


Outstanding  Experiences. 

I  want  to  follow  the  Master's  plan,  and  ask 
you  to  take  a  good  look  at  His  "  Follow  Me  " 
road.  You  remember  that  we  have  had  one 
talk  together  about  the  characteristics  of  our 
Lord  Jesus'  life.  Now  we  want  to  talk  a  little 
about  the  experiences  of  His  life.  And  I  do 
not  mean  that  we  are  to  try  to  imitate  these  ex- 
periences, or  any  of  them.  The  meaning  goes 
much  deeper  than  this,  and  yet  it  marks  out  a 
simpler  road  for  our  feet.  I  mean  that  as  we 
actually  go  along  with  this  Master  of  ours,  these 
experiences  will  work  out  in  our  lives. 

As  we  let  Him  in  as  actual  Lord,  and  get  our 
ears  trained  for  His  quiet  voice,  there  will  come 
to  us  some  of  the  same  things  that  come  to  Him. 

*Luke  xxiv.  40;  John  xx.  20. 


A  Look  Ahead  87 

The  same  Spirit  at  work  within  us,  and  the  same 
sort  of  a  world  at  work  without,  will  so  work 
against  each  other  as  to  produce  certain  other 
results,  now  as  then.  It  is  not  to  be  an  attempt 
at  imitation ;  it's  far  more.  It  is  to  be  obedience 
on  our  part,  a  real  Presence  within  on  His  part, 
and  a  bitter  antagonism  without  on  the  world's 
part ;  rhythmic  full  glad  obedience,  a  sympathetic 
powerful  real  Presence,  a  tense  and  intensifying 
subtle,  relentless,  but  continually-being-thwarted 
opposition.  The  key-note  for  us  is  simple,  full 
obedience. 

There  were  certain  great  outstanding  experi- 
ences in  our  Lord  Jesus'  life.  Let  us  briefly 
notice  what  these  were  and  group  them  together. 
There  was  the  Bethlehem  Birth.  That  was  a 
thing  altogether  distinctive  in  itself.  It  was  a 
supernatural  birth,  the  Spirit  of  God  working 
along  purely  human  lines,  in  a  new  special  way, 
for  a  special  purpose.  It  was  a  rare  blending  of 
God  and  man  in  the  action  of  life.  It  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  Nazareth  Life;  that  was  a  common- 
place life,  lived  in  a  commonplace  village,  but 
hallowed  by  the  presence  of  the  Father,  and 
sweetened  by  the  salt  of  everything  being  done 
under  that  Father's  loving  eye.  The  Father's 
presence  accepted  as  a  real  thing  became  the 
fragrance  of  that  commonplace  daily  life.  And 
this  life  covered  most  of  those  human  years. 

Then  our  Lord  turned  from  the  hidden  life  of 
Nazareth  to  the  public  ministry.  At  its  begin- 
ning stands  the  Jordan  Baptism  of  Power.     In 


88  On  Following  the  Christ 

the  path  of  simple  obedience  He  had  gone  to  the 
Jordan,  taken  a  place  among  the  crowds,  and 
accepted  John's  baptism.  And  in  this  act  of 
obedience,  there  comes  the  gracious  act  of  His 
Father's  approval,  the  Holy  Spirit  came  down 
upon  Him  in  gracious,  almighty  power.  And 
from  this  moment  He  was  under  the  sway  of 
the  Spirit  of  Power.  This  was  the  special 
preparation  and  fitting  for  all  that  was  to  follow. 

At  once  the  Spirit  driveth  Him  into  the  Wil- 
derness. And  for  forty  days  He  goes  through 
the  great  experience  of  the  Wilderness  Temp  to- 
tion.  In  intensity  and  in  prolonged  action,  it 
was  the  greatest  experience  thus  far  in  His  life. 
He  suffered,  being  tempted.  It  was  a  concentra- 
tion of  the  continuous  temptation  of  the  follow- 
ing years  of  action.  But  the  Wilderness  spelled 
out  two  words,  temptation  and  victory;  tempta- 
tion such  as  had  never  yet  been  brought,  and  met, 
and  fought;  victory  beyond  what  the  race  had 
known.  Temptation  came  to  have  a  new  spell- 
ing for  man,  v-i-c-t-o-r-y.  It  came  to  have 
a  new  spelling  for  the  tempter,  d-e-f-e-a-t. 

After  His  virtual  rejection  by  the  nation  as  its 
Messiah,1  and  the  imprisonment  of  him  who 
stood  nearest  Him  as  Messiah, — John  the  Her- 
ald, there  followed  the  Galilean  Ministry.  For 
those  brief  years  He  was  utterly  absorbed  in 
personally  meeting  and  ministering  to  the  cry- 
ing needs  of  the  crowds.  Compassion  for  needy 
men  became  the  ruling  under-passion.     He  was 

'John  i.  19-28. 


A  Look  Ahead  89 

spent  out  in  responding  to  the  needs  of  men.  It 
was  not  restricted  to  Galilee,  but  that  stands  out 
as  the  chief  scene  of  this  tireless  unceasing  serv- 
ice. The  Galilean  ministry  meant  a  life  spent 
in  meeting  personally  the  needs  of  men. 

In  the  midst  of  that,  made  increasingly  diffi- 
cult by  the  ever-increasing  opposition,  there  came 
the  experience  of  the  Transfiguration  Mount.  It 
comes  at  a  decisive  turning  point,  where  He  is 
beginning  the  higher  training  of  the  Twelve  for 
the  tragic  ending,  so  surprising  and  wholly  un- 
expected to  them.  For  a  brief  moment  the 
dazzling  light  within  was  allowed  to  shine 
through  the  garments  of  His  humanity.  What 
was  within  transfigured  the  outer,  the  human 
face  and  form.  And  the  overwhelming  outshin- 
ing light  was  evidence  to  those  three  men  of  the 
divine  glory,  the  more-than-human  glory  hidden 
away  within  this  human  man. 

Then  within  a  week  of  the  end  came  the  Geth- 
semane  Agony.  That  was  the  lone,  sore  stress 
of  spirit  under  the  load  of  the  sin  of  others.  In 
Gethsemane  He  went  through  in  spirit  what  on 
the  morrow  He  went  through  in  actual  experi- 
ence. Gethsemane  was  the  beginning,  the  an- 
ticipation of  Calvary,  so  far  as  that  could  be 
anticipated.  Anticipation  here  was  terrific;  yet 
less  terrific  than  the  actual  experience. 

And  then  came  the  climax,  the  overtopping  ex- 
perience of  all  for  Him,  as  for  us,  the  Calvary 
Cross.  There  He  died  of  His  own  free  will. 
He  died  for  us.    He  died  that  we  might  not  die. 


90  On  Following  the  Christ 

He  took  upon  Himself  what  sin  brings  to  us, 
while  the  Father's  face  was  hidden.  So  He 
freed  us  from  the  slavery  of  sin,  made  a  way 
for  us  back  to  real  life,  and  so  touched  our 
hearts  by  His  love  that  we  were  willing  to  go 
back. 

And  close  upon  the  heels  of  that  came  the 
burial  in  Joseph's  tomb.  The  burial  was  the 
completion  of  the  death.  The  tomb  was  the 
climax  of  the  cross.  He  was  actually  dead  and 
buried.  The  corn  of  wheat  had  fallen  down 
into  the  ground  and  been  covered  up.  There 
was  nothing  lacking  to  make  full  and  clear  that 
Jesus  had  died. 

Then  came  the  stupendous  experience  of  the 
Resurrection  Morning.  Our  Lord  Jesus  yielded 
to  death  fully  and  wholly.  Then  He  seized  death 
by  the  throat  and  strangled  it.  He  put  death  to 
death.  Then  He  quietly  yielded  to  the  upward 
gravity  of  His  sinless  life  and  rose  up.  He  lived 
the  dependent  life  even  so  far  as  yielding  to 
death,  and  now  the  Father  quietly  brought  Him 
back  again  to  life,  to  a  new  life. 

And  after  waiting  a  while  on  earth  among 
men,  long  enough  to  make  it  quite  clear  to  His 
disciples  that  it  was  really  Himself  really  back 
again,  He  quietly  yielded  further  to  the  upward 
gravity,  and  entered  upon  the  Ascension  Life,  up 
in  the  Father's  presence.  That  life  is  one  of  in- 
tercession. He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession 
for  us.1     He  is  our  pleading  advocate  at  the 

Romans  viii.  34;  Hebrews  vii.  25. 


A  Look  Ahead  91 

Father's  right  hand.1  Thirty  years  of  the  Naz- 
areth life,  three  and  a  half  years  of  personal  serv- 
ice, nineteen  hundred  years,  almost,  of  praying. 
What  an  acted-out  lesson  to  us  on  prayer,  the 
big  place  it  had  and  has  with  Him,  the  true  pro- 
portion of  prayer  to  all  else ! 

These  are  the  experiences  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
that  stand  out  clear  above  the  mountain  range 
of  His  life.  It  was  all  a  high  mountain  range; 
these  are  the  great  peaks  jutting  sharply  up 
above  the  range. 

At  the  Loom. 


Now  these  peaks,  these  outstanding  experi- 
ences, as  you  look  at  them  a  bit,  seem  to  fall  natu- 
rally into  three  groups.  There  were  certain  ex- 
periences of  power  and  of  privilege,  the  Bethle- 
hem Birth,  the  Jordan  Baptism,  the  Nazareth 
Life,  and  the  Galilean  Ministry. 

There  were  experiences  of  suffering  and  sac- 
rifice, the  Wilderness  Temptation,  the  Geth- 
semane  Agony,  the  Calvary  Death,  and  the  Jo- 
seph's Tomb  of  Burial. 

And  then  there  were  certain  experiences  of 
gladness  and  great  glory,  the  Transfiguration 
Mount,  the  Resurrection  Morning,  the  Ascension 
Life,  and,  we  shall  find  a  fourth  here  also,  a 
future  experience,  the  Kingdom  Reign  and  Glory. 

These  outstanding  events,  while  distinct  in 
themselves,  are  also  representative  of  continual 

aI  John  ii.  1 ;  Hebrews  ix.  24. 


92  On  Following  the  Christ 

experiences.  The  Jordan  Baptism  stands  not 
only  for  that  event,  but  for  the  power  through- 
out those  forty  and  two  months.  The  same  sort 
of  suffering  that  came  in  Gethsemane  had  run 
all  through  His  life,  but  is  strongest  in  Gethsem- 
ane. So  each  of  these  experiences  is  really 
like  a  peak  resting  upon  the  mountain  range  of 
constant  similar  experience.  And  these  three 
groups  of  experience  continuously  intermingled, 
interlaced  and  interwoven,  made  up  the  pattern  of 
that  wondrous  life. 

Now  these  same  experiences  of  His  are  also 
the  great  experiences  that  will  characterize  the 
"  Follow  Me  "  life,  for  every  one  who  will  follow 
fully.  It  will  always  remain  true  that  these  ex- 
periences were  distinctive  of  Him.  They  meant 
more  to  Him  than  they  will  or  can  mean  to  any 
other.  But  it  is  also  true  that  they  will  come 
to  us  in  a  degree  that  will  mean  everything  to  us. 

I  want  to  change  the  figure  of  speech  here. 
I  think  it  will  help.  This  invitation,  "  Follow 
Me,"  is  the  language  of  a  road,  the  picture  of  one 
walking  behind  another  in  a  road.  And  that  will 
remain  in  our  minds  as  the  chief  picture  of  this 
pleading  call.  But  there's  another  bit  of  pic- 
ture talking  that  will  help.  That  is  the  picture 
of  a  weaver's  loom,  with  the  warp  threads  run- 
ning lengthwise,  the  shuttle  threads  running 
crosswise,  and  the  cross  beam  (or  batten)  driving 
each  shuttle  thread  into  place  in  the  cloth  with 
a  sharp  blow. 

These  three  groups  of  experiences  are  like  so 


A  Look  Ahead  93 

many  hanks  of  threads  in  the  loom,  in  which  the 
pattern  of  life  is  being  woven.  The  experiences 
of  power  and  privilege  are  the  warp  threads  run- 
ning lengthwise  of  the  loom,  into  which  the 
others  are  woven.  These  make  up  the  founda- 
tion of  the  fabric. 

The  other  two  groups  make  up  the  shuttle 
threads,  running  crosswise,  being  woven  into 
the  warp.  The  experiences  of  suffering  and  sac- 
rifice are  the  dark  threads,  the  gray  threads, 
sometimes  quite  black,  and  the  red  threads,  blood 
red.  The  experiences  of  gladness  and  glory  are 
the  bright  threads,  yellow,  golden,  sunny  threads. 

And  the  daily  round  of  life,  the  decisions,  the 
actual  step  after  step  in  living  out  the  decisions, 
the  patient  steady  pushing  on,  is  the  beam  that 
with  sharp  blow  pushes  each  thread  into  its 
place  in  the  fabric  being  woven. 

As  we  allow  the  same  Spirit  that  swayed  our 
Lord's  life  to  control  us,  He  will  work  out  in 
us  certain  of  these  same  experiences.  And  the 
enmity  aroused,  and  working  against  that  Spirit's 
presence  and  control,  will  bring  certain  other  ex- 
periences. Our  part  will  be  simple  obedience, 
listening,  looking,  studying  quietness  so  as  to 
insure  keener  ears  and  eyes — it's  the  quiet  spirit 
that  hears  what  He  is  saying — then  obeying, 
using  all  the  strength  of  will,  and  all  the  grace 
at  our  disposal,  simply  to  hold  steady  and  true, 
and  to  obey,  no  matter  what  threatens  to  come, 
or  what  actually  does  come.  This  will  be  found 
to  be  like  weaving. 


94  On  Following  the  Christ 

Probably  you  have  often  heard  of  how  the 
weavers  work  in  the  famous  Gobelin  tapestry 
factories  in  Paris.  They  know  nothing  of  the 
beauty  of  the  pattern  being  woven.  They  work 
on  the  "  wrong "  side,  the  under  side  of  the 
web.  They  miss  the  inspiration  of  seeing  the 
rare  beauty  they  themselves  are  making.  All 
the  weaver  sees  is  the  apparent  tangle  of  many 
coloured  threads  and  thread  ends,  while  he 
thrusts  in  his  needles  according  to  the  card  of 
instructions.  The  more  faithfully  and  skilfully 
he  can  follow  the  directions  the  better  a  piece  of 
weaving  work  is  done. 

We  simply  obey.  We  use  all  the  strength  we 
have,  and  the  skill  we  can  acquire,  in  obeying. 
We  are  not  to  depend  on  what  we  can  see  or 
feel  for  inspiration,  only  on  the  Master  Looms- 
man  ;  on  His  word,  written,  and  spoken  in  our 
hearts,  and  on  His  answering  peace  within. 
Obedience  is  the  one  key-note  for  all  the  music. 
Surrender  is  the  first  act  of  full  obedience.  Obe- 
dience is  the  habitual  surrender.  Our  part  is 
to  hear  right  and  do  what  He  bids. 

Some  day  we  shall  be  fairly  swept  off  our  feet 
by  the  beauty  of  the  pattern  He  has  been  weav- 
ing— if  we've  let  Him  have  His  way  at  the  loom. 


2.  THE  MAIN  ROAD— EXPERI- 
ENCES OF  POWER  AND 
PRIVILEGE 

The  Bethlehem  Birth. 

There  were  four  of  these  experiences  in  our 
Lord's  life.  At  the  very  beginning  came  the 
Bethlehem  Birth.  That  meant  for  Him  a  birth 
out  of  the  usual  course  of  nature,  yet  working 
within  nature's  usual  processes.  It  was  some- 
thing more-than-the-natural  coming  down  into 
the  natural.  The  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
came  upon  the  pure  gentle  maiden  of  Nazareth 
and  a  new  human  life  was  begotten  by  Him 
within  her,  a'nd  in  due  course  came  to  the  matu- 
rity of  birth.  This  was  a  distinctive  thing  with 
Jesus. 

Now,  in  quite  a  different  sense,  but  in  a  very 
real  sense,  there  will  be  for  us,  too,  a  Bethlehem 
Birth.  The  Holy  Spirit  will  come  in  and  begin 
a  new  life  within  us.  This  is  the  only  beginning 
of  the  "  Follow  Me  "  life  for  any  of  us.  There's 
a  something  on  the  Spirit's  part  before  there  can 
be  a  beginning  on  my  part.  Yet  that  hardly 
tells  the  whole  story.  My  part  is  really  first; 
I  open  the  door  for  Him  to  come  in.  When  I 
accept  Jesus  as  my  Saviour,  that's  opening  the 
95 


96  On  Following  the  Christ 

door.  The  Spirit  comes  in  and  begins  the  new 
life  within  me.  And  yet  there's  another  first  be- 
fore that  first  act  of  mine.  He  woos  me  with 
His  patient,  tender  love.  That  is  the  first  first. 
Then  I  open  the  door :  at  once  He  comes  in,  and 
does  the  thing  which  only  He  can  do.  So  begins 
the  "  Follow  Me "  life.  This  is  the  real,  the 
only  beginning. 

And  yet  there's  more  here  of  the  practical  sort 
than  we  have  thought  of,  most  of  us.  It  means 
that  there  is  within  us  a  life  higher  than  the 
natural  life,  and  this  higher  life  is  to  be  higher, 
it  is  to  be  the  controlling  life.  It  is  to  hold  the 
upper  hand  over  the  natural  life.  The  control  is 
to  be  from  above.  That  is  to  say,  the  motives  and 
desires  of  the  upper  life  are  to  be  dominant  in 
my  daily  round.  It  is  the  Father-pleasing  life  as 
contrasted  with  the  natural  life,  of  which  we 
talked  a  while  ago.  Wherever  the  two  come  in 
conflict,  the  upper  is  to  rule. 

Now,  I  know  this  rather  runs  across  the  grain 
of  a  good  deal  of  our  so-called  Christian  life. 
There  are  a  good  many  people  who,  let  us  really 
believe,  have  been  "  born  again,"  to  use  the  fa- 
miliar phrase,  yet  they  seem  to  have  stayed  in  the 
being-born  stage,  the  infancy  stage.  That  which 
was  "  born  again  "  in  them  seems  not  to  have 
been  developed.  It  has  never  been  allowed  to 
grow.  The  under  life  has  been  given  the  upper 
hand,  and  the  upper  life  kept  strictly  down.  The 
salt  isn't  salty.  The  common  round  of  life  is 
seasoned  wholly  by  the  old  seasoning. 


The  Main  Road  97 

Our  Lord's  "  Follow  Me  "  becomes  a  radical, 
decisive  thing  at  the  very  start.  It  means  that 
we  will  allow  this  new  life  of  the  Spirit  to  grow 
into  lusty  vigour,  and  to  become  the  controlling 
life.  So  it  will  be  the  chief  thing.  All  the  life 
shall  be  directed  and  controlled  from  above. 
This  is  a  result  that  will  come  of  itself  if  we 
really  follow.  Obedience,  and  back  of  that  the 
quiet  time  on  the  knees  with  the  Book,  will 
give  food  and  air  and  growing  space  to  this 
new  life,  and  its  growth  will  crowd  down  the 
other. 

The  Jordan  Baptism  of  Pozver. 


Then  there  was  a  Jordan  Baptism  of  Power 
in  our  Lord's  life.  This  stood  at  the  beginning 
of  His  leadership,  His  life-work,  His  service 
among  men.  As  He  came  up  out  of  the  Jordan 
waters  He  stood  waiting  in  prayer.  He  was  ex- 
pecting something.  His  whole  being  was  ab- 
sorbed in  the  expectancy  of  what  had  been  prom- 
ised.1 And  that  expectancy  was  not  disap- 
pointed. None  that  wait  on  God  shall  be  put  to 
confusion  by  any  disappointment.2  The  blue 
above  was  rift  through,  the  Holy  Spirit  as  a 
gentle  dove  came,  and  remained  upon  Him,  and 
the  Father's  voice  of  pleased  approval  spoke  to 
His  grateful,  obedient  heart.  From  that  time 
the  whole  control  of  His  life  was  absolutely  in 
the  hands  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Isaiah  xi.  2;  lxi.  i,  with  Luke  iv.  18-21. 
2Psalm  xxv.  3  f.  c. 


98  On  Following  the  Christ 

This  does  not  mean  an  inert  passivity  on  Jesus' 
part;  it  meant  a  strong,  intelligent  yielding  to 
the  Holy  Spirit.  It  does  not  mean  that  His 
natural  faculties  of  mind  and  will  and  heart  were 
held  down,  not  to  be  used.  It  means  that  they 
were  actively,  studiously  used  in  discerning  the 
Holy  Spirit's  leading,  and  in  doing  as  He  di- 
rected. And  it  means  that  so  there  came  a  ful- 
ness of  life,  an  increasing  life,  into  His  faculties, 
mind  and  will  and  heart.  Our  Lord  Jesus  used 
all  His  powers  in  yielding  to  the  inspiration  and 
direction  and  control  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  keeping 
ever  open  to  His  suggestion,  and  making  that 
suggestion  the  law  of  His  own  action. 

And  the  Spirit  of  Omnipotence,  working  with 
the  gentleness  of  a  dove,  breathed  upon  those 
yielded  powers,  and  breathed  through  them, 
even  as  had  been  planned  with  the  first  breathing 
of  this  sort,  in  Eden.  So  from  the  Wilderness 
clear  up  to  the  last  Olivet  command  to  the  dis- 
ciples, everything  was  done  at  the  bidding,  the 
direction  of  this  Spirit.  And  so  the  almighty 
power  was  breathed  into  every  word  and  action 
and  bit  of  suffering.  The  one  key-note  of  the 
Master's  action  was  obedience;  the  result  was 
the  flooding  of  the  Spirit's  omnipotence  through 
His  obedient  faculties  and  life. 

Now,  as  We  follow,  this  same  sort  of  experi- 
ence will  be  ours.  What  a  tremendous  thing  to 
say!  Yet  the  road  was  being  beaten  down  for 
our  feet.  The  Son  of  Man  was  simply  showing 
to  His  brother-men  the  road  we  were  all  meant 


The  Main  Road  99 

to  go,  showing  it  by  going  in  it.  All  the  power 
that  came  into  Jesus'  life  will  come  into  ours,  if 
He  is  given  His  way.  For  the  Holy  Spirit  is  not 
measured  out,  either  to  Him  or  to  us,1  but 
poured  out  without  stint.2  As  we  follow  we 
shall  be  led  along  behind  the  Man  going  before. 

There  will  need  to  be  instruction,  for  we're 
so  new  to  this  road.  And  human  teachers  are 
sent  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  help  us  understand, 
teachers  in  print,  and  teachers  in  shoes.  There 
will  need  to  be  the  initial  act  of  full  surrender  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  as  Lord  indeed,  for  most  of  us 
have  been  going  another  way  than  this.  There 
will  need  to  be  a  house-cleaning  time,  for  we 
have  let  in  so  much  of  another  sort. 

A  soft,  but  very  honest,  searching  light  will 
come  Hooding  in  through  the  sky-light  windows. 
And  as  we  instinctively  go  to  our  knees  and 
faces  because  of  what  that  light  brings  to  light, 
there  will  be  a  wondrous  cleansing,  both  by  blood 
and  by  fire.  Then  will  come  a  filling  of  our 
very  being  by  this  wondrous  Spirit  of  God. 

How  shall  we  know  this  filling,  do  you  ask? 
There  will  be  a  quiet,  deep  peace,  at  times  a 
great  joy  that  sings,  but  ever  the  deep  peace  that 
holds  you,  a  new  hunger  for  the  old  Book,  and  a 
new  soft  light  on  its  pages.  There  will  be  an 
inner  drawing  to  talk  with  God,  and  an  intense 
desire  to  please  Him,  to  find  out  what  He  wants 
you  to  do,  and  then  to  do  it. 

'John  iii.  34  1.  c. 

2Isaiah  xliv.  3;  John  vii.  37-39. 


ioo  On  Following  the  Christ 

There  will  come  other  things  too,  of  a  less 
pleasant  sort,  temptation  will  come  anew,  and  a 
sense — sometimes  very  acute — of  sin,  a  feeling 
that  there's  a  something  within  you  fighting  you, 
the  new  you.  There  will  be  an  increased  sensi- 
tiveness to  sin,  and  an  intense  hatred  of  it.  This 
is  what  the  filling  means.  These  things  will  tell 
you  that  He,  the  Spirit,  has  taken  possession  of 
what  you  surrendered,  and  that  He  is  now  at 
work  within.    These  are  His  finger-prints. 

Then  there  will  be  the  outflowing  side  of  this 
filling.  A  passion  that  all  men  may  know  this 
compassionate  God,  will  come  as  a  fire  burning 
in  your  bones.  Its  flames  will  envelop  and  go 
through  everything  you  are  and  have  and  can 
do.  But  under  all  will  be  the  passion  for  pleas- 
ing the  Lord  Jesus.  Obedience  will  become  the 
chief  thing,  holding  everything  else  in  check, 
obedience  to  Him,  pleasing  Him,  doing  His 
will. 

The  Bethlehem  Birth  is  the  beginning  of  a 
new,  a  supernatural  life  within ;  this  will  be  the 
actual  life  itself,  in  full  vigour  and  power. 
That  is  the  supernatural  birth,  this  the  super- 
natural life.  That  is,  there  is  at  work  within  you, 
very  quietly  and  simply,  a  power  more  than  the 
natural,  working  through  the  natural  order,  and 
sometimes  upsetting  what  we  may  have  grown 
to  think  of  as  the  natural  order.  This  is  the 
Jordan  Baptism  of  Power,  the  Holy  Spirit  taking 
charge,  and  you  living  a  Spirit-controlled  life. 
There's  a  new  sign  hung  out  over  your  life,  "  this 


The  Main  Road  101 

life  is  being  conducted  under  new  management." 
You  won't  say  it ;  it  won't  be  shouted  out.  It'll 
be  louder  yet.  Your  life  will  be  telling  it  con- 
tinually. 

Power  Is  in  the  Current. 


The  word  to  emphasize  here  is  control.  You 
will  find  new  meanings,  that  you  had  not  thought 
of,  gradually  working  out  of  it.  If  the  Holy 
Spirit  had  control  of  us  as  He  had  of — Philip, 
for  instance.  He  picked  Philip  up  out  of  the 
midst  of  the  Samaritan  crowd,  where  he  was  the 
human  centre  of  things,  and  put  him  down 
away  off  here  in  the  desert, — strange  contrast ! — 
and  with  one  lone  traveller,  greater  contrast 
yet!1  If  He  were  free  to  pick  you  and  me  up 
like  that,  out  of  these  surroundings,  congenial 
and  pleasant,  and  set  us  down  where  we  had  no 
thought  of  'going,  and  never  would  have  gone  of 
our  own  choice,  and  we  sing  as  we  are  picked 
up,  and  keep  on  singing  where  we  find  ourselves 
amidst  the  uncongenial  perhaps,  the  strange,  the 
unprecedented  and  hard, — if  He  were  free  to  con- 
trol like  that  these  days,  there  would  be  a  pres- 
ent-day Pentecost  beside  which  the  Acts-Pente- 
cost was  but  the  beginnings  of  the  throbbings  of 
power. 

There  are  some  peculiarities  of  this  "  Follow 
Me  "  road  here.     There  comes  a  strangely  new 
sense  of  proportion.    As  you  follow  close  up  be- 
gets viii.  4-8,  26-40. 


102  On  Following  the  Christ 

hind  the  Man  ahead,  you  will  grow  smaller,  and 
He  will  grow  larger.  No,  that's  not  an  accurate 
statement ;  you  won't  grow  any  smaller,  you  will 
only  find  out  how  small  you  are.  He  won't  grow 
any  larger,  you  will  simply  be  finding  out,  and 
then  finding  out  more,  how  large  He  is.  It'll 
seem  strange  to  most  of  us,  finding  out  our  real 
size,  or  lack  of  the  size  we  always  supposed  we 
were.  But  it  will  come  with  a  great  awing, 
heart-subduing  sense,  to  find  how  marvellous  in 
size  this  great  Man  is ;  and  yet  He  is  our  brother, 
as  well  as  so  immensely  more. 

You  come  to  find  out  that  power,  that  thing 
that  used  to  be  so  much  talked  about,  and  de- 
fined, and  yet  chiefly  wondered  about,  that  power 
is  a  matter  of  position.  The  man  close  in  be- 
hind the  Lord  Jesus  doesn't  need  to  be  concerned 
about  power.  In  fact  he  isn't  concerned  about 
it,  only  concerned  with  keeping  close  in  touch. 
All  the  rest  comes  without  our  being  concerned. 
It  comes  from  him,  the  Man  ahead.  There  is  far 
more  power,  the  very  power  of  God,  softly 
flowing  and  flooding  its  way  in  and  through  and 
out,  than  you  are  ever  conscious  of.  Others  will 
know  more  of  the  power  than ,  you.  You  are 
thinking  about  the  Man  ahead,  keeping  in  touch, 
pleasing  Him.  Obedience  has  become  a  new 
word  to  you.  It's  the  music  of  keeping  step, 
keeping  step  with  Him. 

Have  you  noticed  how  much  the  current  of  the 
stream  will  do  for  you  if  you  are  out  in  a  row- 
boat?    All  you  need  to  do  is  to  keep  up  enough 


The  Main  Road  103 

motion  to  hold  the  boat  within  the  sweep  of  the 
current.  Then  your  chief  task  is  steering. 
You're  not  concerned  about  power;  only  about 
the  steering.  There's  more  power  in  the  cur- 
rent than  you  can  ever  use.  Your  one  concern  is 
to  keep  out  of  the  shallows  and  sucking  side- 
eddies,  away  from  snag  and  rock,  and  in  the 
current.  The  power's  in  the  current.  Right 
steering  brings  all  that  power  to  bear  on  your 
little  boat. 

Now,  power  here  is  a  matter  of  steering,  so 
far  as  our  part  is  concerned.  We  steer  to  get 
into  the  current  of  our  Lord  Jesus'  will,  and, 
by  His  grace,  we  use  all  our  will  power  in 
keeping  in  that  current,  and  out  of  the  shallows 
and  suction-eddies  at  the  side.  The  Lord  Jesus, 
once  spit  upon  and  crucified,  now  seated  "  far 
above  all  rule,  and  authority,  and  power,  and 
dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,"  and 
at  work  ofi  earth  through  His  Holy  Spirit, — 
this  Lord  Jesus,  free  to  do  as  He  chooses, — this 
is  power.    He  is  power. 

Power  is  the  Lord  Jesus  in  action,  and  the 
action  is  always  through  some  man's  life.  We 
steer  so  as  to  keep  in  touch.  He  acts  through 
the  man  in  touch.  And  the  hungry,  needy  crowds 
know  a  something  coming  to  them,  with  irre- 
sistible grateful  sweep. 


104  On  Following  the  Christ 

Living  a  Nazareth  Life. 

There  was  a  third  experience  in  this  group. 
Our  Lord  Jesus  lived  the  Nazareth  Life.  In  ac- 
tual order  of  time  this  came  before  the  baptism 
of  power.  I  have  changed  the  order  here,  and 
named  it  third  simply  for  the  practical  help  in 
the  change.  With  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  whole  of 
the  life  was  under  the  sway  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
from  birth  on,  through  the  earliest  conscious 
years,  and  all  the  years.  With  us,  in  actual  ex- 
perience, we  are  all  free  to  confess  that  it  has 
not  been  so  from  our  Spirit-birth  on. 

That  baptism  of  power  at  Jordan  was  without 
doubt  a  baptism  of  power  for  leadership  and  serv- 
ice. Service  and  leadership  ever  need  the  time 
of  special  waiting  on  God,  and  the  fresh  anoint- 
ing by  the  Holy  Spirit's  touch,  the  fresh  con- 
sciousness of  Himself,  as  the  only  source  of 
power  in  the  service  and  leadership. 

In  our  actual  experience  the  Holy  Spirit,  com- 
ing in  power,  has  had  much  to  do  in  changing  our 
habits,  ourselves,  and  our  lives,  as  well  as  in 
our  service.  There  has  been  so  much  service 
that  has  not  been  backed  up  by  the  life,  that 
many  have  come  to  feel,  and  to  feel  very  deeply, 
that  the  power  in  service  must  have  its  roots  in 
the  human  side,  deep  down  in  the  daily  habit  of 
life.  With  our  Lord  Jesus  that  Jordan  experi- 
ence made  no  difference  of  this  sort  in  His  life. 
There  was  nothing  needing  to  be  changed.    That 


The  Main  Road  105 

Nazareth  life  had  been  lived  continuously  under 
the  control  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Look  a  moment  at  that  Nazareth  life  of  His. 
It  means  simply  a  commonplace,  treadmill  round 
of  life  lived  under  the  hallowing  touch  of  the 
Father's  presence.  This  was  according  to  the 
original  plan.  It  is  God's  presence  recognized 
that  hallows  what  is  common.  It  is  the  absence 
of  His  presence,  that  is,  the  leaving  of  Him  out, 
that  makes  common  things  common;  that  is,  it 
makes  the  familiar  thing  and  round  seem  and 
feel  common.  It's  the  unhallowed  and  unhallow- 
ing  touch  of  the  selfish,  of  sin,  that  makes  things 
seem  common,  in  the  sense  of  not  being  holy  and 
sweet  and  pure  and  refreshing.  Sin  makes  things 
grow  stale  to  you.  Selfishness  affects  your  eye, 
the  way  things  look  to  you.  God's  presence 
recognized  keeps  things  fresh.  His  touch  upon 
us,  ever  afresh,  makes  us  fresh.  Everything  we 
touch  aricl  see  is  touched  by  a  God-freshened 
hand,  and  seen  through  a  God-freshened  eye. 

Now  Jesus  lived  this  commonplace  round  of 
life,  and  lived  it  under  the  ever-freshening  touch 
of  His  Father's  presence.  It  isn't  the  thing  you 
do,  nor  the  things  that  surround  you,  that  make 
your  life,  but  the  spirit  that  breathes  out  of  you 
in  the  midst  of  the  things.  It's  the  you  in  you 
that  makes  the  life,  regardless  of  surroundings. 
The  outer  things  are  the  accidents,  you,  the 
spirit  that  breathes  out  of  you, — this  is  the  real 
thing. 

Jesus  lived  it.     That  is  the  tremendous  fact 


106  On  Following  the  Christ 

that  Nazareth  stands  for.  He  lived  what  He 
taught,  and  He  lived  it  first,  and  He  lived  it 
far  more  deeply  and  really  than  it  could  be 
taught  to  others.  This  was  the  basis  of  those 
few  service  years.  Nazareth  lies  under  the 
Galilean  ministry.  There  were  thirty  years 
under  the  three-and-a-half-years.  And  the  thirty 
years  crop  up  into  and  out  of  the  three-and-a- 
half.  The  life  lived  was  the  great  fact  at  work, 
as  the  Man  went  about  doing  good.  The  hidden 
life  of  Nazareth  lies  open  in  the  Galilean  minis- 
try. 

When  you  are  reading  the  wonderful  works 
among  the  needy  throngs,  you  are  reading  the 
biography  of  the  Nazareth  years,  in  their  outer 
reach.  The  life  you  live  is  the  thing  that  tells ! 
This  is  the  meaning  of  the  thirty  hidden  years. 
The  Father  said,  "  My  Son  shall  spend  most  of 
His  years  down  there  living,  just  living  a  true, 
simple  Eden  life;  living  with  Me  in  the  midst  of 
home  and  carpenter  shop  and  village."  This  is 
what  the  world  needs  so  much  to  be  taught,  how 
to  live.  And  the  teaching  must  be  by  living, 
teaching  by  action.     The  message  must  be  lived. 

If  we  men  might  live  Jesus!  That's  what  the 
world  needs.  At  one  of  the  smaller  meetings  of 
the  Edinburgh  Conference,  in  1910,  a  Christian 
gentleman  from  India,  native  of  that  land,  said, 
"  We  don't  need  more  Bibles  in  India."  And 
then  to  this  surprising  statement,  he  added, 
"  We  have  enough  Bibles.  If  the  Christians  in 
India  would  live  the  Bible,  India  would  be  con- 


The  Main  Road  107 

verted. "  And  I  thought,  that  will  do  for  Amer- 
ica, and  England,  and  for  all  the  world.  Jesus 
lived  it.  As  a  man  in  His  decisions  and  actions, 
His  habits  and  daily  round,  He  lived  the  truth. 

The  story  is  told  of  a  missionary  in  some  part 
of  Africa  who  had  not  had  much  success  in  his 
work.  He  was  in  the  habit  of  explaining  some 
portion  of  the  New  Testament  to  the  people  at 
His  house.  One  day  the  portion  contained  the 
words,  "  give  to  him  that  asketh  thee,  and  from 
him  that  would  borrow  of  thee  turn  thou  not 
away.  " x  The  people  asked  him  if  this  meant 
what  it  said.  He  told  them  that  it  did.  One  of 
them  said  he  would  like  to  have  the  table,  point- 
ing to  it ;  another  asked  for  a  chair,  another  for 
the  bed,  and  so  on.  The  missionary  was  rather 
startled  at  such  literal  taking  of  his  teaching. 
He  told  them  to  come  again  on  the  morrow,  and 
he  would  give  his  answer. 

When  they  had  gone,  he  and  his  wife  had 
rather  a  heart-searching  time  together.  They 
felt  they  had  not  reached  the  hearts  of  the  peo- 
ple yet.  But  to  do  as  they  asked  meant  real 
sacrifice  of  a  very  personal  sort.  At  last  with 
much  prayer  they  decided  to  meet  the  people 
where  they  had  opened  the  way.  And  so  the 
next  day  they  gave  their  answer,  and  soon  the 
house  was  literally  bare  of  all  its  furnishings. 
And  that  night  they  slept  on  the  floor,  yet  with  a 
sweet  peace  in  their  hearts  in  the  midst  of  this 
strange  experience. 

Matthew  v.  42. 


io8  On  Following  the  Christ 

The  next  day  the  people  came  back,  carrying 
the  furniture.  They  had  really  been  testing  these 
new-comers.  "  Now,"  they  said,  "  we  believe 
you.  You  live  your  Book.  We  want  you  to  teach 
us."  And  with  open  hearts  they  listened  anew  to 
the  Gospel  story,  and  many  of  them  accepted 
Christ. 

The  little  incident  reveals  the  unity  of  the  race. 
Those  Africans  said  what  England  and  America 
and  all  the  world  is  saying,  "  Live  it."  Is  your  re- 
ligion livable?  What  the  world  needs  to-day  is 
a  Jesus  lived,  not  simply  taught,  nor  preached 
about,  but  lived  in  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
How  the  fire,  the  holy  fire,  of  that  sort  of  thing 
would  catch  and  spread !  Oh,  yes,  it  might  mean 
sleeping  on  the  bare  floor !  That's  what  living-it 
means,  the  actual  life  overriding  any  mere  thing 
that  stands  in  the  way. 

Live  It. 


I  stood  one  day  on  the  abrupt  edge  of  a  little 
hill  in  a  Southern  Japanese  city.  There,  in  a 
great  tree  hanging  out  over  the  edge,  had  hung 
the  bell  that  called  together  the  faithful  retainers 
of  the  lord  of  the  province,  when  they  were 
needed.  There,  nearly  thirty  years  ago,  a  little 
band  of  Japanese  youth,  of  noble  families,  had 
gone  out  at  break  of  day  one  Sabbath  morning, 
and  solemnly  covenanted  to  follow  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  to  devote  their  lives  to  making  Him 
known  throughout  their  land.    Boys  still  in  their 


The  Main  Road  109 

tender  teens  most  of  them  were.  And  that  cove- 
nant was  not  lightly  made,  for  already  the  fires 
of  persecution  had  been  kindled,  and  these  fires 
burned  fiercely  but  could  not  compete  with  the 
fire  in  their  hearts.  And  as  one  goes  up  and  down 
the  island  empire  of  the  Pacific  to-day,  he  can 
find  traces  of  their  lives  cropping  up  everywhere, 
like  gold  veins  above  the  soil. 

And  as  I  sought  to  trace  the  hidden  springs  of 
the  power  at  work  behind  all  this,  I  found  it  was 
in  the  life  of  one  young  man,  a  simple,  holy  life 
burning  with  a  passion  for  Jesus.  In  this  life 
could  be  found  the  kindling  of  the  tender  flames 
burning  so  hotly  in  these  young  hearts.  He  was 
a  young  American  officer  engaged,  by  the  feudal 
lord  of  the  province,  to  teach  military  tactics  and 
English.  He  dared  not  teach  Christianity;  that 
would  have  meant  instant  dismissal.  So  for 
two  years  he  lived  the  message,  so  simply  and 
lovingly  that  he  won  the  love  of  his  pupils. 
Then  they  came  Sundays  to  his  house  to  hear 
him  read  the  English  Bible,  because  they  loved 
him.  As  he  prayed  the  tears  would  run  down 
his  face,  and  they  laughed  to  think  a  man  would 
weep,  but  they  came  because  they  loved  him.  He 
really  loved  them  into  the  Christian  life.  I  was 
reminded  of  the  line  in  Hezekiah's  song  of 
thanksgiving  after  his  illness,  "  Thou  hast  loved 
my  soul  up  from  the  pit."  1  This  young  teacher 
lived  his  pupils  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  lat- 
ter part  of  his  life  was  a  sad  one,  but  noth- 

1  Isaiah  xxxviii.  17,  margin. 


no  On  Following  the  Christ 

ing  can  change  the  record  of  those  earlier 
years. 

I  saw  recently  a  news  item  telling  how  many 
million  copies  of  the  Bible  are  being  printed 
every  year.  The  item  slurringly  remarked  that 
the  statisticians  didn't  seem  concerned  yet  with 
figuring  up  how  many  of  them  were  read.  But,  I 
thought,  what  these  Bibles  need  is  a  new  bind- 
ing. This  Bible  I  carry  is  bound  in  the  best  seal- 
skin, with  kid-lining.  It  is  supposed  to  be  the 
best  binding  for  hard  wear.  But  there's  a  much 
better  sort  of  leather  than  that  for  Bible  binding; 
I  mean  shoe  leather.  The  people  want  the  Bible 
bound  in  shoe  leather.  When  we  tread  this  Bible 
out  in  our  daily  walk,  when  what  we  are  becomes 
an  illustrated  copy  of  the  Bible,  the  greatest  re- 
vival the  earth  has  known  will  come.  With  ut- 
most reverence  let  me  say  that  our  Lord  Jesus 
wants  to  come  and  walk  around  in  our  shoes, 
and  live  inside  our  garments,  and  touch  men 
through  us. 

I  remember  something  in  my  early  Christian 
life  that  was  a  sore  temptation  to  me.  There 
were  some  Christian  leaders  who  had  helped  me 
greatly  by  their  preaching  and  writings.  Then 
it  chanced  that  I  was  thrown  into  personal  con- 
tact with  them,  now  one,  now  another.  And  I 
had  a  sore  disappointment.  It's  hard  to  find  that 
your  idol  has  clay  feet.  It's  doubtless  wrong  to 
have  idols.  Yet  youth  is  the  time  of  such  idol 
worship.  The  disappointment  was  a  very  sore 
one.     Then  out  of  it  I  was  led  to  see  that  the 


The  Main  Road  in 

Master  never  disappoints.  And  there  was  a 
drawing  nearer  to  Himself  alone. 

And  then  a  questioning  arose:  was  some  one 
perhaps  looking  at  me?  And  a  burning  desire 
came  to  be  more  in  life  than  in  speech,  not  only 
for  the  sake  of  some  one,  perchance  looking; 
but  for  the  sake  of  that  other  One,  the  Man  with 
eyes  of  flame,  His  looking.  I  need  hardly  tell 
you  that  it  has  been  my  blessed  privilege  to  have 
had  personal  contact  with  leaders  whose  fra- 
grant lives  are  so  much  more  than  word  or  act. 

The  Nazareth  life  means  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
lived  His  message,  amid  commonplace  surround- 
ings, in  the  midst  of  what  is  called  the  dull 
monotony  of  the  daily  round.  That  is,  in  the 
place  where  it  is  hardest  to  do  it,  He  lived  every 
bit  of  what  He  taught.  And  as  we  follow,  sim- 
ply, obediently,  the  Spirit  will  lead  us  along  this 
same  road.  The  same  experience  will  happen  to 
us.  Could  -there  be  a  greater  evidence  of  the 
power  of  this  Holy  Spirit  than  to  do  such  a  thing 
with  such  as  we  know  ourselves  to  be?  Yet  He 
will,  if  we  let  Him.  A  big  "  if  "  you  say?  But 
not  too  big  to  be  taken  out  of  the  way,  out  of 
His  way.  He  will  live  out  through  us  what  He 
puts  into  us,  by  and  with  our  constant  consent. 

This  is  the  meaning  of  the  Nazareth  life.  Our 
part  is  obedience,  simple,  intelligent,  strong 
obedience  to  Him.  The  result  will  be  this  same 
experience,  a  Nazareth  life  of  purity  and  power 
lived  by  the  Spirit's  power. 

This  was  the  thought  in  the  mind  of  Horatius 


ii2  On  Following  the  Christ 

Bonar,  as  he  wrote  of  the  unnamed  woman  who 
anointed  our  Lord's  head,  and  of  whom  Jesus 
said  that  what  she  had  done  should  be  told  as  a 
memorial  of  her,  wherever  the  Gospel  should 
be  preached. 

"Up  and  away  like  dew  in  the  morning, 

Soaring  from  earth  to  its  home  in  the  sun, 
So  let  me  steal  away,  gently  and  lovingly, 
Only  remembered  by  what  I  have  done. 

My  name  and  my  place  and  my  tomb  all  for- 
gotten, 
The  brief  race  of  time  well  and  patiently 
run, 
So  let  me  pass  away  peacefully,  silently, 

Only  remembered  by  what  I  have  done. 

Gladly  away  from  this  toil  would  I  hasten, 
Up  to  the  crown  that  for  me  has  been  won, 

Unthought  of  by  man  in  reward  and  in  praises, 
Only  remembered  by  what  I  have  done. 

Up  and  away  like  the  odours  of  sunset 

That    sweeten    the    twilight    as    darkness 
comes  on, 

So  be  my  life — a  thing  felt  but  not  noticed, 
And  I  but  remembered  by  what  I  have  done. 

Yes,  like  the  fragrance  that  wanders  in  freshness, 
When  the  flowers  that  it  comes  from  are 
closed  up  and  gone, 

So  would  I  be  to  this  world's  weary  dwellers, 
Only  remembered  by  what  I  have  done. 

I  need  not  be  missed  if  my  life  has  been  bearing, 
As  the  summer  and  autumn  move  silently  on, 
The  bloom  and  the  fruit  and  the  seed  of  its 

season ; 
I  still  am  remembered  by  what  I  have  done. 


The  Main  Road  113 

I  need  not  be  missed  if  another  succeed  me, 
To  reap  down  these  fields  that  in  spring 

I  have  sown ; 
He  who  ploughed  and  who  sowed  is  not  missed 

by  the  reaper; 
He  is  only  remembered  by  what  he  has  done. 

Not  myself  but  the  truth  that  in  life  I  have 
spoken, 
Not  myself  but  the  seed  in  life  I  have  sown, 
Shall  pass  on  to  ages — all  about  me  forgotten, 
Save  the  truth  I  have  spoken,  the  things 
I  have  done. 

So  let  my  living  be,  so  be  my  dying, 

So  let  my  name  be  emblazoned,  unknown, — 

Unraised    and    unmissed    I    shall    still    be    re- 
membered, 
Yes, — but  remembered  by  what  I  have  done." 

The  Galilean  Ministry. 

The  fourth  experience  in  this  group  was  the 
Galilean  Ministry.  Our  Lord  Jesus  gave  Himself 
up  to  helping  those  in  need.  He  devoted  Him- 
self to  personal  service  among  men.  After 
John's  imprisonment  He  withdrew  to  Galilee  and 
ministered  to  the  needy. 

There  were  crowds  of  them.  They  were  in 
sorest  need  of  body  and  spirit.  And  He  gave 
Himself  freely  out  to  them  in  glad  helpful  serv- 
ice. He  met  their  need.  He  did  whatever  their 
condition  called  for.  He  ministered  to  their 
bodily  needs.  He  mingled  among  them  freely  as 
an  older  brother  or  friend,  holding  their  children 
on  His  knees  while  He  talked  with  them  over 


1 14  On  Following  the  Christ 

their  concerns  and  troubles.  But  He  didn't  stop 
there.  Having  won  their  hearts,  He  met  their 
deeper  needs.  He  comforted  their  hearts,  talked 
to  them  one  by  one,  drawing  out  their  hearts, 
and  speaking  of  the  Father. 

And  as  the  crowds  thickened,  He  taught  and 
preached  to  the  multitudes.  He  was  a  preacher, 
proclaiming  the  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom.  He 
was  a  teacher,  bit  by  bit,  line  upon  line,  patiently 
teaching  and  explaining  to  them  about  the 
Father's  love,  and  about  the  true  life  and  how 
to  live  it.  Three  words  are  used  several  times 
to  characterize  that  Galilean  ministry,  teaching 
and  preaching  and  healing.1 

He  warned  against  sin,  patiently  wooing  erring 
men  and  women  away  from  their  sin  into  lives  of 
purity,  and  strengthening  the  young  and  earnest 
in  their  purposes.  The  need  of  the  crowd  swept 
Him  like  a  strong  wind  in  the  young  trees.  He 
couldn't  resist  their  plea.  The  presence  of  a 
man  in  need,  of  either  body  or  spirit,  took  hold 
of  His  heart.  Over  and  over  we  are  told  that 
He  was  "  moved  with  compassion."  What  a  life 
it  was !    What  a  heart  He  had  ! 

Now  our  Lord  Jesus  calls  us  along  this  bit  of 
the  road.  That  is  to  say,  the  Holy  Spirit  with- 
in us  will  make  our  hearts  tender  and  com- 
passionate, even  as  our  Lord  Jesus  was.  The 
crowds  always  moved  Him  tremendously.  He 
couldn't  stand  the  great  dumb  cry  that  the  mere 
presence  of  a  multitude  rang  in  His  ears.     The 

Matthew  iv.  23;  ix.  35. 


The  Main  Road  115 

mere  presence  of  some  one  in  need,  ear- 
nestly seeking,  played  upon  the  strings  of  His 
heart. 

Does  the  crowd  get  hold  of  your  heart  as  you 
elbow  your  way  through  them,  or  look  down  into 
their  faces?  Is  it  just  a  crowd  to  you?  Or  is 
it  a  great  company  of  hungry  hearts,  half-starved 
lives,  so  needy  for  what  only  this  Lord  Jesus 
can  give  ?  The  dumb  cry  of  the  crowds,  in  crowds 
and  one  by  one,  comes  up  in  our  ears  to-day.  Do 
you  hear  it  ?  I  say  "  dumb,"  for  they  don't  know 
themselves  what  it  is  they  need.  They  feel  the 
need.  Restless  and  chafing,  they  feel  without 
knowing  just  what  it  is  they  lack  and  need. 

When  the  Spirit  that  swayed  the  Lord  Jesus 
comes  in,  He  mightily  affects  your  heart.  You 
feel  with  something  of  our  Lord's  feeling.  And 
you  must  help.  You  know  that  the  one  thing, 
the  only  thing,  that  can  really  radically  meet 
their  need  is  this  Saviour  Jesus.  You  must  do 
something  to  get  them  really  to  know  Him.  And 
that  something  comes  to  be  everything.  Service 
isn't  a  pastime ;  it's  a  passion.  That  "  must " 
sends  you  out  on  glad  unheralded  errands  to  help 
in  any  way  you  can,  and  in  every  way  by  which 
the  Jesus  message  can  get  to  them. 

The  "  must "  of  His  tender  passion  within 
keeps  you  steadily  pushing  ahead,  regardless  of 
not  being  understood  by  some,  nor  your  efforts 
appreciated  by  others.  The  flame  of  that  "  must  M 
takes  hold  of  time  and  strength  and  possessions. 
It  becomes  the  delight  of  your  life  to  minister  to 


n6  On  Following  the  Christ 

the  needs  of  men,  even  as  He  did.  You  see  them 
through  His  eyes.  You  feel  their  need  through 
His  heart.  And — this  is  a  great  and — if  you 
really  follow  as  simply  and  fully  as  He  leads,  you 
will  find  the  same  power  working  out  through 
your  effort  as  through  His,  though  there  will 
be  immensely  more  of  it  than  you  will  know 
about. 

But — there's  a  "  but "  that  needs  to  be  put  in 
here — the  key-note  will  not  be  service,  but  obedi- 
ence. The  need  will  not  be  the  controlling 
thing.  It  will  move  you  tremendously;  it  will 
kindle  a  sweet  fever  in  your  heart,  a  fever  to 
help;  it  will  take  hold  of  your  heart  strings  and 
play  upon  them  until  you  almost  lose  control. 
But  it  must  not  be  allowed  to  control.  That  be- 
longs to  Him  alone. 

The  key-note  is  not  need,  nor  service  to  meet 
the  need,  but  obedience.  There  is  a  Lord  to  the 
harvest.  His  plans  are  worked  carefully  out.  He 
takes  Philip  away  from  the  crowded  meetings  in 
Samaria  to  talk  with  one  man.  It  was  doubtless 
a  strategic  move  to  touch  lives  in  Africa,  as  well 
as  to  meet  this  one  man's  need.  He  feels  the 
need  more  than  you  ever  do  or  can.  His  ears  are 
keener,  His  heart  more  tender.  He  is  in  com- 
mand. You  do  as  He  bids.  So  you  help  most 
in  meeting  the  need. 

He  Himself  when  down  here  left  the  crowds, 
when  they  were  so  great  that  the  towns  were 
overwhelmed  and  they  had  to  be  taken  out  to 
the  country  places.    He  would  leave  these  crowds 


The  Main  Road  117 

and  go  off  quietly  to  get  alone  with  His  Father.1 
All  that  tireless  ministry  was  under  the  direction 
of  Another.  He  went  off  for  close  touch,  and 
fresh  consultation  with  His  Father. 

The  Father's  Image  in  the  Common  Crowd. 

Have  you  ever  wondered  what  there  was  in 
those  common  crowds  to  attract  our  Lord  Jesus  ? 
Perhaps  if  you  have  ever  walked  in  those  nar- 
row crowded  alleys  called  streets,  in  China  or 
Japan,  you  may  have  wondered,  sometimes. 
Tired,  dirty,  pinched  faces,  eyes  vacantly  staring, 
or  else  fired  with  low  passion,  high-keyed  voices 
bickering  and  jangling, — all  this  crowds  in  and 
out  on  every  hand.  Dirt,  disease,  low  passion, 
selfishness,  apparent  absence  of  anything  noble 
or  refined,  are  all  tangled  inextricably  up  with 
these  in  human  form. 

And  ourXord  Jesus  lived  in  an  Oriental  world. 
Is  there  any  world  quite  like  it,  except  indeed  it 
be  the  slums  of  our  western  world  cities,  Euro- 
pean and  American  ?  City  slums  seem  to  be  our 
western  point  of  contact  with  the  greater  part  of 
the  eastern  world.  What  was  there  to  attract 
the  Lord  Jesus  to  these  crowds?  Their  need, 
you  answer.  Yes,  no  doubt,  their  terrible  need 
did  move  Him  with  compassion,  to  the  hurting 
point. 

But  was  there  more  than  this  ?    Something  He 

*Luke  v.  15,  16.  The  language  underneath  here  sug- 
gests a  habitual  going  aside  to  pray,  as  an  offset  to  the 
work  with  the  crowds. 


n8  On  Following  the  Christ 

said  one  time  has  made  me  think  there  was  some- 
thing more,  a  pathetic,  tremendous  more,  that 
took  hold  of  His  heart.  Could  it  be  that  He  saw 
some  lingering  trace  of  the  Father's  face  in  these 
faces?  His  eyes  were  very  keen.  He  had  see- 
ing eyes.  And  these  men  have  all  been  made  in 
the  Father's  image.  Has  that  image  ever  been 
wholly  lost  ? — terribly  blurred  and  scarred  by  sin, 
yes ;  but  wholly  lost  ?  Do  you  think  so  ?  I  think 
not. 

Those  wondrous  eyes  of  His  looking  into 
men's  tired,  pinched  faces,  disfigured  with  pas- 
sion or  sorrow,  or  with  sheer  weariness  of  ex- 
istence— did  He  see  something  of  the  Father's 
face  looking  appealingly  up  to  be  helped  out  of 
their  sad  plight?  I  wonder.  Was  it  as  though 
the  Father's  face  cried  out  to  Him  out  of  these 
poor  beaten  faces  ?  I  think  so.  Do  you  remem- 
ber that  time  when  our  Lord  Jesus  associated 
Himself  so  closely  with  just  such  men  and 
women,  in  talking  of  a  coming  day?  He  says 
"  inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  to  one  of  these  My 
brethren,  these  least,  ye  did  it  unto  Me." x 
Listen  to  those  words,  "  My  brethren  " !  He 
is  thinking  of  just  such  crowds  as  He  Him- 
self ministered  to,  and  as  you  find  to-day  in 
Oriental  city  and  in  European  and  American  slum. 
What  is  done  for  them  is  done  to  Him.  Their 
need  is  His  need;  their  cry,  His.  It's  Jesus 
coming  to  us  in  these  crowds.  Their  need  is 
Jesus  Himself  appealing  to  us.     And  the  Jesus 

Matthew  xxv.  40. 


The  Main  Road  119 

within  us  will  answer  with  heart  and  life  to  this 
Jesus  coming  to  us  in  the  pitiable  need  of  the 
crowds. 

I  do  not  mean  to  use  that  word  "  pitiable  " 
chiefly  in  the  bodily  sense,  though  there's  so 
much  of  that.  But  it  has  a  deeper  meaning. 
Here  is  this  fair  young  face  turned  to  yours  in 
the  social  group,  here  this  strong  young  man 
needing  nothing  that  money  can  buy,  but  yet  very 
needy,  both  of  them.  In  their  young,  eager  faces 
the  hidden  away  image,  the  not-yet-touched-into- 
new-life  image  of  the  Father  looks  out  asking  for 
help,  help  out  into  growth  amidst  so  much  that 
holds  back.  Inasmuch  as  your  light,  tactful  touch 
is  given  here,  it  is  done  unto  Jesus.  Jesus  is 
helped  into  the  life,  the  God-image  crowded  back 
within  is  helped  to  get  out  into  free  expression. 

You  may  not  be  sent  to  some  distant  field  as 
young  Borden  was.  Your  personal  place  may  be 
at  home.  But  the  crowd,  the  need,  is  everywhere ; 
at  home,  in  the  social  circle,  and  among  the 
men  driven  by  the  passion  for  business  and  for 
pleasure,  in  this  dangerously  prosperous  land  of 
ours.  Need  of  body  even  here,  and  deeper  need 
of  spirit.  Much  more  tact  is  required,  Spirit- 
born  tact  and  patience  and  alertness,  to  touch 
and  help  these. 

But  the  Spirit  will  guide.  He  has  a  passion 
for  men  in  their  need.  He  has  exquisite  tact  in 
touching  men  under  all  circumstances.  He  will 
take  command  of  your  life  here  as  elsewhere. 
He  will  lead  you  into  a  life  of  personal  service  in 


120  On  Following  the  Christ 

helping  men.  And  He  will  lead  you  in  that  serv- 
ice. This  is  the  Galilean  Ministry  which  will 
work  out  in  your  experience  as  the  Holy  Spirit 
has  control.  This  is  a  bit  of  the  "  Follow  Me  " 
roadway. 

These  are  the  four  experiences  of  power  and 
privilege.  They  are  as  the  great  underlying  ex- 
periences of  our  Lord's  career.  The  other  ex- 
periences grew  up  out  of  these.  These  were  the 
warp  threads  in  the  loom  of  His  life.  The  others 
were  woven  into  these.  This  is  the  main  road 
that  He  trod.  It  is  the  main  road  of  this 
"  Follow  Me  "  journey.  It  is  along  this  road,  be- 
tween its  beginning  and  end,  that  we  shall  run 
down  into  the  valley-road  stretches,  and  run  up 
to  the  stretches  along  the  hilltops. 


3.  THE  VALLEYS  — EXPERIENCES 
OF  SUFFERING  AND  SACRIFICE 

The  Never-absent  Minor. 


Here  the  road  begins  to  drop  down  into  the 
valleys.  It  runs  sharply  down,  and  on,  through 
some  wild  gulches  and  ravines  thick  with  lurking 
danger,  with  the  upper-lights  almost  lost  in  the 
deep  black  darkness.  It  is  darkness  that  can  be 
felt  more  than  the  Egyptian  darkness  ever  was. 
It  proves  to  be  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death, 
then — of  death  itself,  before  the  upward  turn 
comes. 

The  weaver  we  were  speaking  of  finds  some 
strange  shuttle-threads  to  be  woven  into  the 
pattern,  gray  black,  ugly  black  threads,  and  red 
threads  almost  wet  and  sticky  in  their  blood-like 
redness. 

Yet  this  is  part  of  the  road  that  was  trodden, 
and  that  is  still  waiting  to  be  trodden  by  feet 
sturdy  and  bold  enough  to  go  on  down  into  the 
shadows,  before  the  upward  turn  is  reached 
again.  And  these  threads  will  work  out  a  rare 
beauty  in  the  pattern  being  woven. 

Is  there  perfect  music  without  the  under- 
chording  of  the  minor?    Not  to  human  ears.    For 


122  On  Following  the  Christ 

they  are  attuned  to  life  as  it  has  really  come 
to  be.  And  the  minor  chord  is  in  real  life,  never 
quite  absent;  and  the  minor  chord  is  in  the  true 
human  heart,  never  wholly  absent.  And  only 
the  music  with  the  minor  blended  in  is  the  real 
music  of  human  life.  Only  it  can  play  upon  the 
finest  strings  of  the  human  heart. 

But  this  sort  of  thing,  the  getting  of  beauty  out 
of  ugly  threads,  the  getting  of  music  where  there 
is  discord,  the  upward  turn  again  of  the  valley 
road,  all  this  is  a  bit  of  the  touch  of  God  upon 
life,  where  the  hurt  of  sin  has  come  in.  Only  the 
Lord  Jesus  can  make  music  where  sin  had 
brought  in  and  wrought  out  such  discord.  Only 
He  can  change  the  weaving  into  beauty,  where 
the  ugly  slimy  sin-threads  have  come  in.  He 
can  lead  up  again  out  of  the  depths,  but  only  He. 
His  blood,  Himself,  is  the  thing  added  that  makes 
music  where  no  melody  had  ever  been  a  possible 
thing;  and  gives  the  weaver's  threads  the  trans- 
forming touch  that  works  beauty  where  there 
was  only  the  ugly ;  and  pulls  you  up  again  to  the 
higher  levels.  The  good  never  comes  out  of  bad. 
It  comes  only  by  something  radically  different 
coming  in  and  overcoming  the  bad. 

In  Seoul  they  showed  us  the  great  bell  hung 
at  the  crossing  of  certain  chief  streets  there. 
And  then  they  told  us  the  bell's  legend.  In  early 
twilight  times  an  artisan  had  made  a  great  bell 
at  the  king's  command,  but  the  tone  of  it  was 
not  pleasing  to  the  royal  ears.  So  a  second  one 
was  made,  and  a  third,  but  neither  was  satisfac- 


The  Valleys  123 

tory.  Then  the  king  said  that  if  the  man  did  not 
make  a  bell  with  pleasing  tones  his  life  should 
be  forfeited  for  his  failure.  This  was  very 
distressing  for  the  poor  unfortunate  bell- 
moulder. 

His  daughter,  a  young  girl  in  her  teens,  either 
had  a  vision,  or  felt  within  herself  that  a  sacrifice 
was  the  thing  needful  to  give  the  bell  its  true 
tone.  And  so  she  resolved  to  give  herself  to 
save  her  father,  and  with  rare  fortitude  one 
night  she  plunged  into  the  great  pot  of  molten 
metal.  And  the  tone  of  the  bell  was  so  sweet 
and  musical  that  the  king  was  delighted.  And 
the  maker,  instead  of  being  killed,  was  highly 
honoured.  So  ran  the  simple  bit  of  Korean  folk- 
lore. 

We  ran  across  legends  quite  like  it  in  other 
parts  of  the  Orient.  They  all  seemed  to  point, 
with  other  similar  evidence,  to  the  feeling  deep 
down  in  human  consciousness  of  the  need  of 
sacrifice.  Is  it  a  bit  of  an  innate  instinct  in  our 
common  human  nature,  that  only  through  sacri- 
fice can  the  hurt  of  life  be  healed  ?  However  this 
be,  it  certainly  is  true,  that  the  touch  of  Him 
who  gave  His  life  clear  out  for  men,  that  touch  is 
the  thing,  and  the  only  thing,  that  can  make 
music  where  there  was  only  discord.  It  is  only 
His  pierced  hand  upon  weaver  and  web  that 
touches  ugly  threads  into  beauty  as  they  are 
woven  into  the  fabric  of  life.  Only  He  can  lead 
us  up  out  of  the  valley  of  death  up  to  the  road  of 
life  along  the  high  hilltops. 


124  On  Following  the  Christ 

The  Wilderness. 

You  remember,  there  were  four  experiences  of 
suffering  and  sacrifice  in  our  Lord  Jesus'  life. 
The  first  of  these  was  the  Wilderness  Tempta- 
tion. That  rough  road  He  took  led  straight  to 
and  through  a  wilderness.  He  was  tempted.  He 
was  tempted  like  as  we  are.  He  was  tempted 
more  cunningly  and  stormily  than  we  ever  have 
been. 

It  was  a  pitched  battle,  planned  for  carefully, 
and  fought  with  all  the  desperateness  of  the  Evil 
One  at  bay  against  overwhelming  forces.  It  was 
planned  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  fought  out  by 
our  Lord  in  the  Spirit's  strength.  For  forty  full 
lone  days  it  ran  its  terrific  course.  But  our 
Lord's  line  of  defence  never  flinched.  The  Wil- 
derness and  Waterloo,  those  two  terrific  match- 
ings  of  strength,  the  one  of  the  spirit,  the  other 
of  the  physical,  both  were  fought  out  on  the 
same  lines.  Wellington's  only  plan  for  that 
battle  was  to  stand,  to  resist  every  attempt  to 
break  his  lines  all  that  fateful  day.  The  French 
did  the  attacking  all  day,  until  Wellington's 
famous  charge  came  at  its  close. 

Our  Lord  Jesus'  only  plan  for  the  Wilderness 
battle  was  to  stand,  having  done  all  to  stand,  to 
resist  every  effort  to  move  Him  a  hair's  breadth 
from  His  position.  That  battle  brought  Him 
great  suffering;  it  took,  and  it  tested,  all  His 
strength  of  discernment,  and  decision,  of  de- 
termined set  persistence,  and  of  dependent,  deep- 


The  Valleys  125 

breathed  praying.  And  through  these  the  gra- 
cious power  of  the  Spirit  worked,  and  so  the 
victory,  full  joyous  victory,  came. 

Now  it  comes  as  a  surprise  to  some  of  us  to 
find  that  the  "  Follow  Me  "  road  leads  straight  to 
the  same  Wilderness.  No,  it  is  not  just  the  same, 
none  of  these  experiences  mean  as  much  to  us 
as  they  did  to  Him.  They  are  always  less.  But 
then  they  mean  everything  to  us !  We  will  be 
tempted.  So  surely  as  one  sets  himself  to  follow 
the  blessed  Master,  there's  one  thing  he  can 
always  count  upon — temptation.  Sooner  or  later 
it  will  come,  usually  sooner  and  later.  So  the 
Evil  One  serves  notice  to  contest  our  allegiance 
to  the  new  Master. 

The  tempter  sees  to  it  that  you  are  tempted. 
That  belongs  to  his  side  of  the  conflict.  And 
quickly  and  skilfully,  and  with  good  heart  he  goes 
at  his  task.  Through  the  weak  or  evil  impulses 
and  desires  within  us,  and  through  every  avenue 
without,  those  dearest  to  us,  and  every  other,  he 
will  begin  and  continue  his  cunning  approaches. 
It  is  well  to  understand  this  clearly,  and  so  be 
ready.  The  closer  you  follow  this  Man  ahead, 
the  more,  and  the  more  surely,  will  you  be 
tempted.  It  is  one  of  the  things  you  can  count 
on — temptation. 

But,  steady  there,  steady !  the  tempter  can't  go 
a  step  beyond  attacking,  without  your  help.  He 
can't  make  a  single  break  in  your  lines  from 
without.  The  only  knob  to  the  door  of  your  life 
is  on  the  inside.    Temptation  never  gets  in  with- 


126  On  Following  the  Christ 

out  help  from  within.  I  have  said  that  the  Wil- 
derness spelled  two  words  for  our  Lord  Jesus, 
temptation  and  victory.  We  may  use  His  spell- 
ing if  we  will.  A  temptation  is  a  chance  for  a 
victory.  Begin  singing  when  temptation  comes; 
out  of  it,  resisted,  comes  a  new  steadiness  in  step, 
and  a  new  confidence  in  the  victorious  Man  of 
the  Wilderness.1 

But  let  me  tell  you  how  the  victory  comes.  It 
comes  through  our  Lord  Jesus.  And  it  comes  by 
His  working  through  your  decision  to  resist  to 
the  last  ditch. 

"Lead  Us  Not." 


The  Lord  Jesus  gave  us  two  special  tempta- 
tion prayers  to  make.  The  one  is :  "  Lead  us 
not  into  temptation."  2  That  petition  has  been  a 
practical  puzzle  to  many  of  us,  and  the  explana- 
tions not  always  quite  clear.  Would  God  lead 
us  into  temptation?  we  instinctively  ask.  And 
the  answer  seems  to  be  both  "  yes  "  and  "  no." 

The  "  yes "  means  that  character  can  come 
only  through  right  choice.  We  must  decide 
what  our  attitude  toward  wrong  shall  be.  It  is 
only  temptation  resisted  that  makes  the  begin- 
nings of  strength.  Before  temptation  comes  there 
may  be  innocence  but  never  virtue.  Innocence 
resisting  temptation  becomes  virtue.  The  temp- 
tation is  the  intense  fire  in  which  the  raw  iron  of 
innocence  changes  into  the  toughened,  tempered 

"James  i.  2,  3.  2Matthew  vi.  13. 


The  Valleys  127 

steel  of  virtue.  It  is  essential  to  character  that  it 
resist  the  wrong.  It  is  choice  that  makes  charac- 
ter. The  angels  in  the  presence  of  God  are  con- 
tinually choosing  to  remain  loyal  to  Him.  Choice 
includes  choosing  not  to  choose  the  evil,  to  refuse 
it.  Adam  was  tempted ;  the  temptation  was  bad, 
only  bad ;  but  it  could  have  been  made  an  oppor- 
tunity to  rise  up  into  newness  of  strength.  Job 
was  led  into  temptation,  and  he  failed  when  the 
fires  grew  in  heat,  and  touched  him  close  enough ; 
and  then  he  learned  new  dependence  on  God 
alone  instead  of  on  his  own  integrity. 

That's  the  "  yes  "  side  of  the  answer.  We 
must  decide  what  we  will  do  with  evil.  The 
presence  of  evil  forces  choice  upon  us.  The  one 
thing  God  longs  for  is  our  choice,  free  and  full 
choice.  Freedom  of  choice  is  the  image  of  God 
in  which  every  man  is  made.  We  are  like  Him 
in  power,  in  the  right  to  choose ;  we  become  like 
Him  in  character  when  we  choose  only  the  right. 
God  would  lead  us  into  opportunity  for  the  choice 
on  which  everything  else  hinges.  The  prayer 
says  :  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation."  The  prayer 
becomes  the  choice.  It  reveals  the  decision  of 
your  heart.  The  man  who  thoughtfully  makes 
the  prayer  makes  the  choice. 

And  with  that  goes  the  "  no  "  side.  Certainly 
God  would  not  lead  us  into  the  temptation  to 
do  wrong.1  And  so  He  has  made  a  way — it's  a 
new  way  since  our  Lord  Jesus  was  here — a  way 
by  which  we  can  have  the  full  opportunity  for 
1  James  i.  13. 


128  On  Following  the  Christ 

choice,  and  yet  be  sure  of  always  choosing  the 
right,  and  so  growing  into  His  image  in  charac- 
ter. To  pray,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation," 
is  practically  saying,  "  I  will  go  as  Thou  lead- 
est.  Lead  me.  I  am  willing  to  be  led.  I  was 
not  ever  thus,  nor  prayed  that  Thou  shouldst 
lead  me  on.  I  loved  to  choose  and  see  my  path, 
but  now — but  now,  lead  Thou  me  on.  Here 
I  am,  willing  to  be  led.  I  put  out  my  hands  for 
Thee  to  grasp  and  lead  where  Thou  wilt.  Til 
sing,  '  Where  He  may  Lead,  I'll  Follow."  This 
is  the  only  safe  road  through  the  Wilderness. 
We  yield  wholly  to  His  control. 

May  I  say  reverently,  this  was  the  way  our 
Lord  entered  and  passed  through  the  Wilderness, 
wholly  under  the  control  of  Another — the  Holy 
Spirit.  He  chose  to  yield  to  that  control.  The 
Spirit  acted  through  His  yielding  consent,  and 
flooded  in  the  power  that  brought  the  victory. 
Even  He  in  His  purity  needs  so  to  do.  How 
much  more  we  in  our  absence  of  purity,  and  so 
absence  of  strength.  "  Lead  us  not "  means 
practically,  that  we  get  in  behind  this  victorious 
Lord  Jesus.    We  refuse  to  go  alone. 

The  Wilderness  spells  only  defeat  for  the  man 
who  goes  alone.  We  must  yield  wholly  to  this 
great  lone  Man  who  went  before.  We  lean  upon 
Him.  We  trust  Him  as  Saviour  from  the  sin 
that  temptation  yielded  to  has  already  brought. 
We  will  trust  His  lead  wholly  now  as  temptation 
comes.  We  will  stick  close  and  be  wholly  pliant 
in  His  hands.    This  is  the  first  temptation  prayer 


The  Valleys  129 

our  Lord  gives  us.  It  means  our  utter  surrender 
to  His  leadership. 

Then  there  is  a  second  prayer  for  temptation 
use :  "  Watch  and  pray  that  ye  enter  not  into 
temptation."  x  This  goes  with  the  other.  It  is 
the  partner  prayer.  Be  ever  on  the  watch,  and 
pray,  that  you  may  not  enter  into  temptation. 
Guard  prayerfully  against  acting  independently 
of  your  Leader.  Watch  against  the  temptation. 
Watch  yourself  lest  you  be  inclined  to  go  off 
alone,  to  break  away  from  His  lead.  For  there 
will  be  only  one  result  then,  defeat.  These  two 
prayers  together  show  the  way  to  turn  tempta- 
tion into  victory, — "  lead  not,"  "  enter  not."  A 
temptation  is  a  chance  for  a  victory  if  you  never 
meet  it  alone,  but  always  under  the  lead  of  the 
great  Victor  of  the  Wilderness. 

Then  it  may  help  to  put  the  thing  in  another 
way.  There  are  two  steps  in  victory  over  temp- 
tation. The  first  is  recognition.  To  recognize 
that  the  thing  coming  for  decision  is  a  tempta- 
tion to  something  wrong, — that's  the  first  step  in 
victory.  It  pushes  the  temptation  out  into  the 
open.  You  say  plainly,  "  This  is  something  to  be 
resisted."  The  second  step  as  you  set  yourself  to 
resist  is  to  plead  the  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
That  means  pleading  His  victory  over  the  tempt- 
er. That's  the  getting  in  behind  Him  and  de- 
pending wholly  upon  Him. 

"  Follow  Me  "  takes  us  into  the  Wilderness, 
and  leads  us  into  victory  there.    There  we  will 

Matthew  xxvi.  41. 


130  On  Following  the  Christ 

learn  more  about  prayer,  and  music,  and  the 
Master,  and  get  new  strength  and  courage  on  this 
stretch  of  the  valley  road. 


Gethsemane. 


At  the  farther  extreme  of  the  service  years, 
there  came  to  the  Lord  Jesus  the  other  three  of 
these  dark  experiences,  all  three  close  together. 
On  the  night  of  the  betrayal  came  the  Gethsemane 
Agony.  That  was  a  very  full  evening.  Around 
the  supper  table  they  had  gathered  and  talked, 
and  the  Lord  Jesus  had  made  His  last,  tender  but 
fruitless  effort  to  touch  Judas'  heart  by  touching 
his  feet.  There  was  the  long  quiet  heart-talk  in 
the  supper  room  after  Judas  had  gone  out,  "  and 
it  was  night "  for  poor  Judas.1 

Then  the  talk  continued  as  they  walked  across 
the  city  within  view  of  the  great  brass  vine  on 
Herod's  temple,  so  beautiful  in  the  light  of  the 
full  moon.  And  then,  as  they  walk  through  the 
narrow,  shadowed  streets,  the  shadows  come 
into  the  Lord  Jesus'  spirit  and  words. 2  Now 
they  are  outside  the  wall  of  the  city,  out  in  the 
open,  under  the  blue,  and  with  upturned  face,  the 
great  pleading  prayer  is  breathed  out.3  Now 
they  are  across  the  Kidron,  and  now  in  among  the 
shadows  of  the  huge  olive  trees  of  the  garden 
called  Gethsemane. 

It's  quite  dark  and  late.     He  leaves  the  dis- 

^ohn  xiii.,   xiv.        2John  xv.,  xvi.        3John  xvii. 


The  Valleys  131 

ciples  to  rest  under  the  trees,  and  with  the  inner 
three  He  pushes  a  bit  farther  on.  And  now  He 
pushes  on  quite  alone  in  the  farther  lone  re- 
cesses of  the  woods.  And  now  the  intensity  of 
His  spirit  bends  His  body  as  He  kneels,  then  is 
prostrate.  And  the  agony  is  upon  Him.  He  is 
fighting  out  the  battle  of  the  morrow.  He  is 
sinless,  but  on  the  morrow  He  is  to  get  under  the 
load  of  a  world's  sin;  no,  it  was  yet  more  than 
•that,  He  was  to  be  Himself  reckoned  and  dealt 
with  as  sin  itself.  All  the  horror  of  that  broke 
upon  Him  under  those  trees,  more  intensely  than 
it  had  yet.  The  brightness  of  the  full  moon 
made  the  shadows  of  the  trees  very  dark  and 
black,  but  they  seemed  as  nothing  to  this  awful 
inky  black  shadow  of  the  sin  load  that  would 
come,  no  longer  in  shadow  but  actually,  on  the 
morrow. 

The  agony  of  it  is  upon  Him  as  He  falls  pros- 
trate on  the 'ground,  under  the  tense  strain  of 
spirit.  Out  of  the  struggle  a  bit  of  prayer 
reaches  our  awed  ears,  "  If  it  be  possible  let  this 
cup  pass  away  from  Me;  yet  not  as  I  will,  but 
as  Thou  wilt."  And  so  tense  is  the  strain  that 
an  angel  comes  to  strengthen.  With  what  rever- 
ent touch  must  he  have  given  his  help.  Even 
after  that  the  great  drops  of  bloody  sweat  came. 
But  now  a  calmer  mood  comes.  The  look  full  in 
the  face  of  what  was  coming,  the  realizing  more 
clearly  how  the  Father's  plan  must  work  out, 
these  help  to  steady  Him.  Again  a  bit  of  prayer 
is  heard,  "  Since  this  cannot  pass  away ;  since 


132  On  Following  the  Christ 

only  so  can  Thy  plan  for  the  world  be  accom- 
plished Thy — will — be — done."  The  load  of 
the  world's  sin  almost  broke  His  heart  that  dark 
night  under  the  olives.  It  actually  did  break  His 
heart  on  the  morrow.  This  is  the  meaning  of 
Gethsemane,  intense  suffering  of  spirit  because 
of  the  sin  of  others. 

And  at  first  thought  you  say,  surely  there  can 
be  no  following  for  any  of  us  in  this  sore  lonely 
experience  of  His.  And  there  cannot.  He  was 
alone  there  as  on  the  morrow.  None  of  us  can 
go  through  what  He  went  through  there.  For, 
it  was  for  us,  and  for  our  sin  that  He  went 
through  it.  And  yet  there  is  a  following,  if  dif- 
ferent in  degree  and  in  depth  of  meaning,  yet  a 
very  real  following.  While  Gethsemane  stands 
a  lone  experience  for  Jesus,  yet  there  will  be  a 
Gethsemane  for  him  who  follows  fully  where 
He  asks  us  to  go. 

There  will  be  a  real  suffering  of  spirit  because 
of  the  sin  of  others.  We  will  see  the  world 
around  us  through  those  pure,  seeing  eyes  of 
His.  We  will  feel  the  ravages  of  sin  in  those  we 
touch,  with  something  of  the  feeling  of  His 
heart.  Close  walking  with  Christ  brings  pain 
and  it  will  bring  it  more,  and  more  acutely.  We 
will  see  sin  as  He  does,  in  part.  We  will  feel 
with  our  fellow-men  toiling  in  its  grip  and  snare 
as  He  did,  in  part.  There  will  be  sore  suffering 
of  spirit.  This  is  the  Gethsemane  experience, 
and  it  will  not  grow  less  but  more. 


The  Valleys  133 


"'0  God/  I  cried,  'why  may  I  not  forget? 
These  halt  and  hurt  in  life's  hard  battle 

Throng  me  yet. 
Am  I  their  keeper?    Only  I?    To  bear 
This  constant  burden  of  their  grief  and  care? 
Why  must  I  suffer  for  the  others'  sin? 
Would  God  my  eyes  had  never  opened  been ! ' 

And  the  Thorn-crowned  and  Patient  One 

Replied,  '  They  thronged  Me  too.    I  too  have  seen.' 

'  But,  Lord,  Thy  other  children  go  at  will/ 

I  said,  protesting  still. 
'They  go,  unheeding.     But  these  sick  and  sad, 
These  blind  and  orphan,  yea  and  those  that  sin 
Drag  at  my  heart.     For  them  I  serve  and  groan. 
Why  is  it?    Let  me  rest,  Lord.    I  have  tried — ' 

He  turned  and  looked  at  me: 
'But  I  have  died!' 

'  But,  Lord,  this  ceaseless  travail  of  my  soul ! 
This  stress !     This  often  fruitless  toil 
These  souls,  to   win ! 

They  are  not  mine.     I  brought  not  forth  this  host 
Of    needy    creatures,    struggling,    tempest-tossed — 
They  are  not  mine.' 

He  looked  at  them — the  look  of  One  divine; 
He  turned  and  looked  at  me.    '  But  they  are  mine!  ' 

'  O  God,  I  said,  '  I  understand  at  last. 
Forgive!     And  henceforth  I  will  bond-slave  be 
To  thy  least,  weakest,  vilest  ones ; 
I  would  not  more  be  free/ 

He  smiled  and  said, 
'  It  is  to  me.' "  * 

*Lucy  Rider  Meyer. 


134  On  Following  the  Christ 

The  word  Gethsemane  has  not  been  used  ac- 
curately sometimes.  And  it  is  not  good  that  it  is 
so,  for  it  keeps  us  from  appreciating  what  the 
real  meaning  is.  In  poetry  and  otherwise  it  has 
been  used  for  some  great  experience  of  sorrow 
in  which  the  soul  has  struggled  alone.  But  there 
are  two  things  in  the  Gethsemane  experience  that 
give  it  a  meaning  quite  different  from  such. 
The  Gethsemane  sorrow  is  on  account  of  the  sin 
of  others,  and  it  comes  to  us  through  our  own 
consent,  of  our  own  action.  We  need  not  go 
through  the  Gethsemane  experience  save  as  we 
make  the  choice  that  comes  to  include  this.  It  is 
only  as  we  choose  to  follow  fully,  close  up  to  His 
bleeding  side,  where  the  Lord  Jesus  is  leading, 
that  this  experience  of  pain  will  come. 

Moses  knew  what  this  meant.  As  he  came 
from  the  presence  of  God  in  the  mount  the  sin  of 
the  people  seemed  so  terrible,  that  the  fear  that 
possibly  it  could  not  be  forgiven  unless  he  made 
some  sacrifice  sweeps  over  him  and  came  out  as 
a  great  sob.1  The  sight  of  their  sin  brought  sorest 
pain  to  his  spirit.  Paul  tells  us  there  was  a 
continual  cutting  of  a  knife  at  his  heart  because 
of  his  racial  kinsfolk,  their  sin,  their  stubbornness 
in  sin,  the  awful  blight  upon  their  lives.2  There 
was  sore,  lone,  unspeakable  pain  of  spirit  be- 
cause he  felt  so  keenly  the  sin  of  others.  This  is 
the  Gethsemane  experience.  Have  you  felt  some- 
thing like  this  as  you  have  come  in  touch  with 
the  sin,  the  blighted  lives,  the  wreckage  of  lives 

Exodus  xxxii.  31,  32.  2Romans  ix.  1-3. 


The  Valleys  135 

among  both  poor  and  rich,  lower  class  and  better? 
You  will  if  you  follow  where  He  leads. 


Calvary. 

Then  came  the  morrow.  The  experience  of 
Calvary  came  hard  on  the  heels  of  Gethsemane. 
The  pain  of  spirit  became  both  pain  of  body  and 
pain  of  spirit,  intensified  clear  beyond  what  the 
night  before  had  anticipated.  How  shall  I  trust 
myself  to  speak  of  that  morrow,  or  you  to 
listen?  Yet,  let  us  hold  still,  and,  for  a  great 
purpose,  look  at  it  again,  if  only  for  a  moment, 
that  the  meaning  of  it,  the  flame  of  it  may  take 
fresh  hold,  and  consume  us  anew. 

Gethsemane  was  followed  by  a  sleepless  night, 
while  bitter  hate  brought  its  utmost  iniquity  and 
persistence  to  hound  this  Man  to  death.  Nine,  of 
the  next  morning,  found  Him  hanging,  nailed  on 
the  cross,  cfowned  with  the  cruel  mocking  thorn 
crown.  From  nine  till  three  He  hung,  while  the 
strange  darkness  came  down  over  all  nature 
from  noon  till  three,  the  blackness  of  midnight 
shutting  out  the  brightness  of  noon.  The 
Father's  presence  was  withdrawn.  This  tells  the 
bitterness  of  the  cross  for  Jesus  as  does  nothing 
else. 

It  was  out  of  a  breaking  heart  that  the  cry 
was  wrung,  "  My  God,  My  God,  why  didst  Thou 
forsake  Me  ? "  When  you  can  penetrate  that 
darkness  you  may  be  able  to  tell  how  really  Jesus 
took  our  place,  and  suffered  as  sin  for  us, — not 


136  On  Following  the  Christ 

before.  Then  with  a  great  shout  of  victory  He 
gave  up  His  life.  His  great  heart  broke.  He 
died.  He  died  literally  of  a  broken  heart.  The 
walls  of  that  muscle  were  burst  asunder  by  the 
terrific  strain  on  His  spirit. 

He  died  for  us.  He  who  so  easily  held  off 
the  murderous  mob  with  their  stones,  now  holds 
Himself  to  that  cross, — for  us.  This  is  the  Cal- 
vary experience.  It  can  be  felt,  but  never  ex- 
plained fully;  words  fail.  It  can  be  yielded  to 
until  our  hearts  are  melted  to  sobs,  but  never 
fully  told  in  its  tenderness  and  strength  to  others. 
It  can  bring  us  down  on  knees  and  face  at  His 
feet  as  His  love-slaves  for  ever, — so  is  its  story 
best  told  to  others.  That  breaking  heart  breaks 
ours.  That  pierced  side  pierces  through  all  our 
stubborn  resistance.  That  face  haunts  us.  Its 
scars  tell  of  sin,  ours.  Its  patient  eyes  tell  of 
love,  His.  Was  there  ever  such  sin?  Was  there 
ever  such  love  ?  Was  there  ever  such  a  meeting 
of  sin  and  purity,  of  love  and  hate,  of  God's  best 
and  Satan's  worst? 

Surely  there  can  be  no  following  here!  And, 
strange  to  say,  the  answer  is  both  a  "  no,"  with  a 
double  underscoring  of  emphasis,  and  a  "  yes/' 
that  will  come  to  have  a  like  emphatic  under- 
lining. No,  there  can  be  no  following.  Here, 
He  is  the  Lone  Man  who  went  before.  And  He 
remains  the  Lone  Man  in  what  He  did,  and  in 
the  extent  of  His  suffering.  There  is  only  one 
Calvary.  There  was  only  the  One  whose  death 
could  settle  the  sin  score  for  us  men.    It  is  only 


The  Valleys  137 

by  His  death  for  our  sin  that  there  is  any  way 
out  of  our  sore  plight  of  sin,  and  sin's  own  result. 
There  the  Lord  Jesus  did  something  that  had 
to  be  done,  for  the  Father's  sake ;  there  He  broke 
the  slavery  of  our  sin ;  there  He  broke  our  hearts 
by  His  love.  There  He  stands  utterly  alone  in 
what  He  did.  Calvary  has  no  duplicate,  nor 
ever  can  have.  That  is  the  emphatic  "  no  "  side 
of  the  answer.  There  can  be  no  following  on 
that  road. 

And  yet, — and  yet,  there  can  be.  There  is  a 
"  yes  "  side  to  the  true,  full  answer.  There  will 
be  a  Calvary  experience  for  every  one  who  really 
follows.  His  was  the  Calvary  experience,  ours  is 
a  Calvary  experience.  It  does  not  mean  what 
His  meant  for  the  world.  But  it  enters  into  the 
marrow  of  our  very  being,  and  means  everything 
to  us.  It  means  that  as  I  really  follow  there  will 
come  to  me  experiences  of  sacrifice  that  will  take 
the  very  lif6  of  my  life — if  I  do  not  pull  back, 
but  persist  on  following  the  beckoning  hand. 
And  it  means  too,  that  there  will  be  in  a  second- 
ary, a  minor  sense,  a  redemptive  value  in  my 
suffering.  That  suffering  will  be  a  real  thing  in 
completing  the  work  of  some  man's  redemption. 

Listen  to  Paul.  He  has  been  writing  to  the 
Corinthian  Christians  in  much  detail,  of  the  suf- 
fering he  has  been  going  through  of  both  body 
and  spirit,  and  then  he  adds,  "so  then  death 
working  in  me  worketh  life  in  yon."  1  The  same 
thought  underlies  that  wonderful  bit  of  tender, 

*II  Corinthians  iv.  12. 


138  On  Following  the  Christ 

tactful  pleading  in  the  eleventh  and  twelfth 
chapters  of  the  same  letter.  The  same  thing  is 
put  in  a  rather  startling  way  in  the  epistle  to  the 
Colossians,1  "  I  .  .  .fill  up  on  my  part,  in  my 
flesh,  that  which  is  lacking  of  the  afflictions  of 
Christ  for  His  body's  sake,  which  is  the  Church/' 
/  This  fits  in  with  the  thought  in  that  word 
"  began  "  in  the  beginning  of  the  book  of  Acts.2 
In  a  very  real  sense  our  Lord  depends  upon  our 
faithful  following  to  supplement  among  men  the 
great  thing  which  only  He  could  do.  Paul  knew 
a  Calvary  experience,  and  Peter  and  John,  and  so 
has,  and  will,  every  one  who  follows  the  pierced 
hand  that  beckons.  Ask  Horace  Tracey  Pitkin 
at  Paotingfu  if  he  understands  this.  And  the 
China  soil  wet  with  his  blood  gives  answer,  and 
so  do  the  lives  of  those  who  were  won  to  Christ 
through  such  suffering  throughout  China.  Ask 
David  Livingstone  away  in  the  inner  heart  of 
Africa,  and  those  whom  no  man  can  number  in 
every  nation,  who  have  known  this  sort  of  thing 
by  a  bitter,  sweet  experience,  some  by  violence, 
some  by  the  yet  more  difficult  daily  giving  out 
J    of  the  life  in  hidden  away  corners. 

The  Underground  Road. 

And  hard  following  this  came  the  Burial  in 
Joseph's  Tomb.  "  Christ  died  for  our  sins  and 
...  He  was  buried."  3  "  Joseph  took  the  body, 
.    .    .    and  laid  it  in  his  own  new  tomb,  which  he 

Colossians  i.  24.  2Acts  i.  I. 

3I  Corinthians  xv.  3,  4. 


The  Valleys  139 

had  hewn  out  in  the  rock,  and  he  rolled  a  great 
stone  to  the  door  of  the  tomb."  x  "  The  chief 
priests  and  the  Pharisees  .  .  .  went,  and  made 
the  sepulchre  sure,  sealing  the  stone,  the  guard 
(of  Roman  soldiers)  being  with  them."  2 

Out  of  that  sealed  tomb  comes  with  the  em- 
phasis of  action,  the  emphasis  of  death,  this 
word,  "  except  a  grain  of  wheat  fall  into  the 
ground  and  die,  it  abideth  by  itself  alone."  3  The 
only  pathway  of  life  is  the  underground  road. 
For  our  Lord,  Joseph's  tomb  made  the  death 
clear  beyond  doubt.  The  tomb  was  the  climax 
of  the  death.  He  was  dead  and  buried.  For 
him  who  follows  it  means  this,  a  burial  clear  out 
of  sight  in  the  soil  of  the  need  of  men's  lives. 
He  who  simply  gets  in  behind  and  faithfully  fol- 
lows will  find  himself  actually  being  buried  in 
the  needs  of  men.  And  only  where  there  is 
such  a  burial  can  there  come  resurrection  power 
into  the  life. 

I  remember  a  friend  in  Philadelphia,  a  young 
man  who  resigned  an  influential  position  to  go 
out  as  a  missionary  in  India.  And  another  friend 
not  at  all  in  sympathy  remarked  sneeringly  in 
my  hearing,  "  He's  gone  to  bury  himself  in 
India."  He  spoke  more  aptly  than  he  knew. 
The  years  since  have  told  what  a  blessed  burial 
that  was.  For  scores  of  lives  in  Southern  India 
have  known  the  resurrection  power  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  through  his  service. 

'Matthew  xxvii.  59,  60.  2 Matthew  xxvii.  62,  66. 

3John  x:i.  24. 


140  On  Following  the  Christ 

Do  you  remember  when  the  Greeks  came  to 
Philip  with  their  great  plea,  "  Sir,  we  would  see 
Jesus"?1  Whether  really  from  Greece,  or 
Greek-speaking  people  from  elsewhere,  or 
simply  non-Jewish  people,  they  represented  the 
outer,  non- Jewish  world  coming  to  Jesus.  The 
Jew  door  was  slammed  violently  in  His  face,  but 
here  was  the  great  outer-world  door  opening. 
And  He  had  come  to  a  world !  But  instantly, 
across  the  vision  so  attractive  to  His  eyes,  there 
came  another  vision,  never  absent  from  His 
spirit  those  last  weeks,  the  vision  black  and  for- 
bidding, of  a  cross.  And  He  knew  that  only 
through  this  vision  of  a  cross  could  the  vision  of 
a  world  coming  be  realized.  And  out  of  the  sore 
stress  of  spirit,  that  for  a  few  brief  moments 
shook  Him,  came  the  quietly  spoken,  tense  words, 
"  Except  a  grain  of  wheat  fall  into  the  earth 
and  die,  it  abideth  by  itself  alone." 

The  road  to  Greece  is  not  over  the  sea  here 
to  the  west,  not  the  overland  caravan  route  up 
north  through  Asia  Minor;  it  is  the  road  down 
through  Joseph's  tomb.  That  was  true  for  Him. 
It  was  by  that  road  that  He  so  marvellously 
reached  the  Greeks  and  all  the  world.  And  this 
is  true  for  us.  It  is  only  by  this  road  that  we  can 
reach  out  to  the  crowds  with  the  reach-in  that 
touches   heart  and   life. 

These  are  the  four  experiences  of  suffering 
and  sacrifice.  This  is  the  dip-down  in  the 
"  Follow   Me "   road  where  it   runs  through   a 

^ohn  xii.  2032. 


The  Valleys  141 

darkly  shadowed  valley.  These  are  the  dark  and 
red  shuttle-threads  being  woven  into  the  web,  by 
repeated  sharp  blows  of  the  batten-beam.  These 
are  the  minor  chords  that,  coming  up  through 
the  strains  of  music,  give  a  peculiar  sweetness 
to  it. 


What  Is  Sacrifice  f 


Now  you  will  note  that  the  chief  thing  in  all 
this  is  sacrifice.  The  chief  thing  in  all  of  our 
Lord's  life,  clear  from  Bethlehem  to  Calvary  and 
the  tomb,  was  sacrifice.  It  runs  ever  through- 
out; it  finds  its  tremendous  climax  in  the  cross. 
And  the  word  to  put  in  here  in  quietest  tone — the 
quietest  is  tensest,  and  goes  in  deepest — the  word 
is  this :  Following  means  sacrifice.  It  means 
sacrifice  as  really  for  the  follower  as  for  the 
Lone  Man  ahead. 

That  word  "  sacrifice "  has  practically  been 
dropped  out  of  the  dictionary  of  the  Christian 
Church  of  the  western  world.  It  has  not  been 
wholly  lost.  There  is  much  real  sacrifice,  no 
doubt,  under  the  surface.  But,  in  the  main,  it 
is  one  of  the  lost  words  in  our  generation  of  the 
Church.  We  are  rich,  and  increased  in  goods, 
and  have  need  of  nothing  that  we  cannot  provide 
by  the  lavish  use  of  money;  so  we  think.  And 
the  loss  of  that  word  explains  the  loss  from  our 
working  dictionaries  of  another  word,  power. 
For  the  two  words  always  go  together. 

But  please  note  what  sacrifice  means.    For  we 


142  On  Following  the  Christ 

may  get  confused  in  the  use  of  words,  and  like 
the  Hebrews  in  Isaiah's  day  call  things  by  the 
wrong  names.1  Sacrifice  does  not  merely  mean 
suffering,  though  there  may  be  much  suffering 
included  in  it.  But  there  may  be  suffering  where 
there  is  no  sacrifice.  It  does  not  mean  privation, 
though  there  may  be  real  painful  privation  in  it. 
But  again  there  may  be  much  privation  and  pain 
without  any  element  of  sacrifice  entering  in. 

The  heart  of  sacrifice  is  that  it  is  voluntary, 
and  that  it  really  costs  you  something.  It  is 
something  that  would  not  come  to  you  unless  you 
decide  to  let  it  come.  It  is  wholly  within  your 
power  to  keep  it  away,  and  it  brings  with  it 
real  pain  or  cost  of  some  kind.  Sacrifice  means 
doing  something,  or  doing  without  something, 
that  so  help  may  come  to  another,  even  though 
it  costs  you  some  real  personal  suffering  of 
spirit,  or  of  body,  or  both,  or  lack  of  what  you 
should  have  and  would  enjoy. 

And  please  note  that  sacrifice  is  not  the  key- 
note of  the  "  Follow  Me  "  life.  We  are  not  to 
seek  for  sacrifice.  Perhaps  that  is  quite  a  need- 
less remark.  We  are  not  likely  to  seek  for  it. 
No  one  loves  a  cross  any  more  than  did  Peter, 
when  he  had  the  hardiness  to  rebuke  his  Master.2 
And  yet  we  remember  those  earnest  souls  in 
earlier  times,  who  shut  themselves  up  behind 
monastic  walls,  and  inflicted  pain  upon  them- 
selves by  privation  and  by  bodily  self-infliction. 
And  we  cannot  help  admiring  their  earnestness 

Isaiah  v.  20.  2Matthew  xvi.  21-28. 


The  Valleys  143 

and  saintliness,  even  while  we  see  how  morbid 
was  their  conception  of  life,  and  how  completely 
they  got  the  true  order  reversed.  And  there  can 
be  found  some  here  and  there,  among  us  to-day, 
with  the  same  idea. 

But  the  key-note  of  the  true  life  is  not  sacri- 
fice. It  is  obedience.  Sacrifice  is  something 
coming  in  the  pathway  of  obedience.  There 
come  the  places  and  times  where  you  cannot 
obey  without  making  a  sacrifice.  Obedience  in- 
volves sacrifice.  And  the  sacrifice  may  be  of  the 
very  real,  cutting,  hurting  sort,  personally.  The 
whole  instinct  of  one's  being  is  against  it.  This 
seems  to  be  carrying  things  quite  too  far,  we 
think.  And  so  the  test  is  on.  The  sacrifice  is  not 
sought.  It  is  shrunk  from  with  all  the  vigour  of 
one's  nature.  Obedience  means  that  you  go 
steadily  on,  no  matter  how  it  cuts,  or  how  much 
it  costs. 

And  the  motive  under  the  obedience  is  usually 
the  decisive  thing.  If  that  motive  be  a  personal 
passion  for  the  Lord  Jesus,  then  you  only  wait 
long  enough  to  be  quite  clear  of  His  leading,  of 
what  He  would  have  you  do.  And  then  you 
go  on,  regardless  of  the  personal  loss  or  pain  to 
yourself.  The  key-note  of  the  "  Follow  Me " 
music  is  obedience,  simple,  sane,  poised,  full 
obedience. 


*/ 


144  On  Following  the  Christ 

How  Much  It  Cost  God. 

One  day  out  in  Illinois,  while  visiting  a  small 
church  college,  I  was  told  this  story  of  one  of 
the  students.  He  had  felt  very  deeply  the  need 
of  the  foreign  mission  lands,  and  the  plea  being 
made  for  men  to  volunteer  to  go  out  as  mission- 
aries. And  after  much  thought  and  prayer  he 
had  decided  to  volunteer.  But  he  felt  he  must 
first  get  his  mother's  consent.  So  he  wrote  of 
his  purpose  and  asked  if  she  were  willing  that 
he  should  go.  In  due  time  the  reply  came  back. 
It  was  a  mother's  letter  to  her  son,  full  of  a 
mother's  endearments.  But  the  paper  was 
marked  with  tear-stains.  She  gave  her  consent. 
She  said,  "  I'm  glad  my  boy  wants  to  go,  and 
I'm  glad  to  have  you  go,  but " — and  here  the 
writing  was  blurred  with  the  teardrops  that  had 
plainly  fallen  as  she  wrote — "I  never  knew  be- 
fore how  much  it  cost  God  to  give  His  Son." 

There  was  the  whole  story  of  sacrifice  as  it 
came  to  that  mother.  There  was  the  sore  need 
of  the  people  in  foreign  lands  for  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  That  need  had  not  been  met.  The  need 
in  its  sore  pressure  had  become  an  emergency, 
largely  an  unappreciated  emergency.  The  trag- 
edy of  an  unmet  emergency  had  moved  the  son's 
heart  to  action,  under  the  touch  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  then  it  came  to  the  mother's  heart. 
The  decision  rested  with  her.  Her  inner  heart 
told  her  the  Master's  desire.  She  obeyed,  with 
exquisite  pain  in  her  heart  over  the  separation, 


The  Valleys  145 

maybe  separation  for  life,  from  her  son.  The 
key-note  is  obedience,  even  though  it  may  mean 
cutting  pain. 

The  whole  test  of  love  and  of  life  is  in  sacrifice 
yielded  to  as  the  need  may  come.  In  God's  first 
plan  of  life  there  is  no  sacrifice.  God  never 
chooses  sacrifice  as  His  first  choice  for  any  one, 
not  even  for  His  Son.  But  sin  is  here,  an  abnor- 
mal, foreign  thing.  Life  is  shot  through  and 
through  with  its  ugly  markings.  You  can't  go 
a  foot's  length  down  the  pathway  of  obedience 
without  finding  the  keen  edge  of  a  knife,  freshly 
sharpened,  held  across  the  path  with  its  cutting 
edge  toward  you,  challenging  your  advance, 
doing  its  utmost  to  hold  you  back. 

And  only  as  the  breast  is  bared  to  the  cutting 
until  a  bit  of  your  red  life  stains  the  knife,  only 
so  can  there  be  any  of  the  power  of  God  in,  or 
through,  or  out  of,  your  life.  But  turn  that  sen- 
tence around,  and  smile  in  your  heart  as  you 
remember  this,  as  you  do  push  quietly  on  past  the 
cutting  knife,  and  say  never  a  word  about  the 
knife  or  the  sharp  pain — the  best  folks  never 
talk  about  their  sacrifices,  they  are  too  intent  on 
the  Man  just  ahead, — as  a  man  so  does,  there 
come  into  his  life  a  fire  and  a  fragrance  that 
burns  and  breathes  out  wherever  he  goes. 

It  is  sin  that  makes  sacrifice.  Sin  did  the 
carpenter  work  on  the  cross,  our  sin.  Sin  grew 
the  thorns,  and  then  served  as  weaver  to  make 
the  mocking,  cutting  crown — our  sin,  yours  and 
mine.    Love  yields  to  the  sacrifice.  His  love  for 


146  On  Following  the  Christ 

us,  His  love  in  us  for  the  others.  Sin  is  every- 
where. Its  finger-print  is  in  nature,  and  its  scar 
on  human  life.  And  sin's  ravages  make  cruel 
need,  and  need  intensified  makes  emergency,  and 
these  involve  sacrifice  as  we  rise  to  meet  need  and 
emergency. 

And  love  is  everywhere.  That  is,  it  would  be, 
it  will  be,  if  it  can  find  human  feet  to  carry  it. 
It  will  be  if  our  Lord  may  have  His  way.  Sac- 
rifice is  Love's  healing  shadow.  Sacrifice  is  love 
giving  the  oil  and  wine  of  its  own  life  to  bind 
up  the  wounds  that  sin  has  made.  The  "  Follow 
Me  "  road  is  marked  red,  so  you  trace  His  foot- 
prints who  went  ahead,  and  theirs  who  follow. 


What  Obedience  Has  Meant  for  Some. 

But,  no  one  can  decide  for  another  what  obedi- 
ence may  mean  for  him.  You  may  not  tell  me, 
nor  I  you.  It  is  intensely  interesting  to  note] 
what  obedience  has  meant  to  some.  It  led  Paul 
to  give  up  inheritance  and  family  prestige, 
social  standing,  fellowship  in  university  circles,  a 
home  life  of  scholarly  quiet  and  research,  and  to 
be  reproached  and  ostracized,  to  be  homeless 
having  no  certain  abiding  place,  dependent  on  his 
own  hands  for  daily  bread,  as  he  went  burning 
like  a  flame  from  end  to  end  of  the  Roman 
world.  And  at  the  end  it  meant  a  prison,  and 
block  and  axe.    -   >  U^  »^  **  \^  * 

I  met  a  rare  Christian  nobleman  in  London,  of 
an  old,  honoured  family,  of  whom  a  friend  told 


The  Valleys  147 

me  this.  This  nobleman  had  a  large  inheritance. 
Among  other  things  a  certain  estate.  He  felt 
led  to  place  the  estate  on  the  market,  get  the  best 
possible  return  for  it,  and  then  with  his  shrewd 
business  sense,  prayerfully  to  place  the  proceeds 
where  he  felt  they  would  help  best  the  cause  of 
Christ.  And  to  a  friend  who  expressed  apprecia- 
tion and  approval  of  such  unusual  action,  he 
quietly  said,  "  I  want  no  praise  for  this ;  if 
the  poor  Jew  had  to  give  one-tenth,  surely  a 
rich  Christian  can  do  very  much  more/'  That 
was  what  obedience,  at  that  point,  meant  to 
him. 

I  knew  a  Canadian  woman  who  had  been  led 
to  a  higher  level  in  her  Christian  life.  A  fnend 
put  into  her  hands  a  bit  of  manuscript,  to  which 
she  had  access,  thinking  it  would  help  her  in  her 
new  life.  The  manuscript  was  read,  and  re- 
turned through  the  friend  to  its  writer.  He  had 
intended  having  it  published  with  some  others, 
if  a  publisher  could  be  found  willing  to  accept 
it.  Then  he  had  felt  that  he  would  do  nothing 
with  it  until  very  clear  leading  came.  He  did 
not  want  to  do  anything,  except  as  he  was  led. 
If  the  Master  wanted  to  use  the  writing,  it  was 
there  if  He  chose  to  give  the  word  for  its 
use. 

Sometime  after  as  the  woman  was  busy  with 
her  nursing  work  she  was  on  night  duty,  and  had 
her  quiet  time  in  an  interval  of  the  night's  round. 
As  she  was  reading  her  Bible  and  praying,  she 
said,  "  A  voice  said  to  me  very  quietly,  '  Send 


148  On  Following  the  Christ 

Mr.  Blank  twenty-five  dollars  to  publish '  " 

[naming  the  title  of  the  article  she  had  read]. 
Twenty-five  dollars  taken  out  of  her  frugal  sav- 
ings would  leave  quite  a  hole.  But  the  impres- 
sion that  came  with  the  message  was  unmistak- 
able. And  so  the  money  was  sent.  And  it  was 
received  by  the  writer  of  the  manuscript  as  the 
Master's  answer  for  which  he  had  been  waiting. 
And  that  was  the  beginning  of  some  little  books 
whose  messages  have  been  graciously  used  to 
bring  help  to  many  lives.  Her  bit  of  obedience 
was  a  link  in  the  chain,  and  so  a  bit  of  her  life 
is  in  the  printed  messages  the  Master  has  been 
using.  The  tracing  of  red  was  on  the  gold,  and 
on  the  messages  sent  out.  That  was  what  obedi- 
ence meant  that  time  to  her.  And  obedience 
usually  has  its  hardest  time  when  its  struggle  is 
over  a  bit  of  gold. 

A  friend  took  us  driving  one  day  up  in  Scot- 
land, and  told  this  story  as  we  passed  through  a 
beautiful  estate.  A  few  generations  back  it 
belonged  to  one  who  followed  fully.  And  in  re- 
sponse to  the  clear  inner  leading  the  estate  was 
sold,  and  the  proceeds  used  in  sending  the  mes- 
sage of  a  crucified,  risen  Christ,  out  to  the  farther 
ends  of  the  earth. 

It  was  at  the  same  time  that  a  like  incident 
came  personally  to  me  of  another  Scottish  friend 
of  our  Lord  Jesus.  The  beckoning  call  was  so 
distinct,  and  the  answering  need  so  clear  in  its 
echo,  that  he  planned  a  moderate  annuity  for  the 
remainder  of  his  life,  and  loosed  out  all  the  rest 


The  Valleys  149 

of  his  wealth  on  the  same  sort  of  errand.  I  do 
not  say  you  should  do  something  of  this  sort. 
And  you  may  not  tell  me  what  I  shall  do.  Only 
the  Master  has  that  privilege.  But  we  can  urge 
each  other  to  have  trained  ears,  and  soft  heart, 
and  obedient  will;  ears  for  what  the  Master  is 
saying,  a  heart  softened  by  the  warmth  of  His, 
a  will  gladly  obedient  to  His  slightest  wish. 

Necessity — Luxury. 

And  our  Lord  Jesus  speaks  very  distinctly, 
though  so  quietly.  His  meaning  is  unmistakably 
plain  to  listening  ears.  He  is  quite  apt  to  take 
you  off  for  a  little  walk  and  talk.  What  kind  of 
a  house  do  you  live  in?  What  proportion  of 
your  income  do  you  spend  on  yourself?  What 
is  in  those  safety-deposit  boxes?  How  much 
would  it  mean  to  Him  if  your  signature  at  the 
bottom  of  legal  papers  put  some  property  at  His 
disposal  ?  Take  a  look  through  your  wardrobe ; 
who  and  what  controls  there?  No,  I'm  not 
talking  about  money,  nor  about  missions,  only 
about  a  personal  passion  for  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  about  the  passion  in  Him  for  His  world. 

"  But,"  you  say  to  yourself,  "  there's  danger  of 
going  to  extremes  here,  is  there  not?"  Yes, 
there  is ;  you  are  quite  right.  Extremes  are  bad, 
we  should  be  on  our  guard  against  them.  There 
is  nothing  more  desirable  in  these  days  than 
sane,  poised  judgment,  a  sound  mind.  And  be 
it  keenly  marked  that  the  man  who  is  really 


150  On  Following  the  Christ 

swayed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  is  peculiarly  a  sane, 
well-balanced  man.  That  is  one  mark  of  the 
Spirit's  presence. 

Yet  there's  more  to  be  said.  Oar  Lord  Jesus 
went  to  extremes.  He  went  to  a  great  extreme 
on  the  cross,  did  He  not?  Is  there  any  extreme 
like  that  of  Gethsemane  ?  and  Calvary  ?  It  is  be- 
cause He  went  to  such  extremes,  and  the  West 
knows  about  it,  that  the  West  is  so  radically 
different  from  the  East,  and  that  you  and  I  are 
redeemed  from  the  slavery  of  sin,  with  a  sweet 
peace  in  our  hearts,  and  so  much  happiness  in 
our  lives. 

The  distressing  thing  is  that  there  is  so  much 
of  going  to  extremes.  Go  through  the  Christian 
homes  of  the  western  world  to-day,  and  you  find 
home  appointments,  wardrobes,  safety-deposit 
boxes,  bank  books,  title  deeds,  all  spelling  out  one 
word,  spelled  in  capital  letters,  EXTREMES. 
But  that  key-note,  named  several  times  already, 
gives  the  only  safe  way — obedience.  We  need  to 
be  on  our  guard,  not  so  much  lest  we  go  to  ex- 
tremes at  either  extreme,  but  that  we  obey  our 
Lord  Jesus.  That,  and  that  only,  leads  to  the 
wise,  well-balanced  judgment  and  action.  Obe- 
dience to  Him  means  true  sanity. 

Where  do  you  draw  the  deciding  line  between 
necessity  and  luxury?  How  do  you  define  those 
two  words?  What  is  necessity?  And  what  is 
luxury  ?  Simple  definitions  help  much  in  getting 
clear  ideas.  The  dictionary  says,  a  necessity  is 
something  you  must  have.    And  a  luxury,  in  its 


The  Valleys  151 

root  meaning-,  is  an  extravagance,  something 
"  wandering  beyond  the  proper  boundary."  The 
trouble  is  to  know  how  to  draw  the  line  when  it 
comes  to  one's  own  affairs.  There  is  such  a  big 
difference  between  what  you  want  and  what  you 
need.  And  often  we  don't  want  to  go  into  such 
distinctions.  They  might  bother  our  consciences 
a  bit.  It  seems  difficult  to  keep  one's  poise  in 
such  things.  Some  godly  people  go  to  extremes 
in  not  providing  sufficiently  for  real  needs.  Most 
of  us  go  to  the  other  extreme.  Where  does  the 
true  dividing  line  come  in? 

Well,  I  think  you  can  say  truly  that  whatever 
keeps  up  and  adds  to  your  strength  can  properly 
be  called  a  necessity.  All  beyond  that  line  is 
luxury.  It  is  the  part  of  wisdom  to  provide 
carefully  and  well  for  necessities.  Luxury  is  bad, 
for  it  really  saps  our  strength.  It  makes  a  man 
less  vigorous  in  every  way.  And  yet  more 
can  be  said/  The  question  of  need  comes  in. 
Luxury  is  wrong  because  of  the  crying  need  of 
men  for  what  the  money  spent  in  luxury  would 
bring  to  them.  I  think  chiefly  now  of  the  need 
of  their  lives  for  what  can  come  only  through 
a  knowledge  of  Christ.  The  bitter  cry  of  the 
common  people  against  Louis  XVI,  at  the  time 
of  the  French  Revolution,  was  that  the  royal 
family  lived  on  the  costliest  delicacies  while 
many  of  the  common  people  were  actually  starv- 
ing. They  thought  that  was  the  chief  crime  to 
be  expiated  at  the  guillotine. 

What  is  necessary  for  one's  strength  moves  on 


152  On  Following  the  Christ 

a  sliding  scale.  As  years  come,  and  the  sort 
of  work  one  does  and  his  strength  change,  his 
needs  increase.  What  might  at  one  time  have 
been  reckoned  luxury  is  now  a  real  necessity  for 
his  best  strength  and  work.  Whatever  ministers 
to  one's  strength  is  a  necessity.  All  above  this 
becomes  luxury,  and  so  is  both  hurtful  to 
strength,  and  wrong  in  itself. 

A  missionary  returning  to  his  home-land,  on 
furlough,  noted  on  his  first  return  home  that 
what  had  been  considered  luxuries  before  he  left, 
were  now  reckoned  necessities;  on  his  second 
furlough  he  noted  again  that  what  had  been 
reckoned  luxury  on  his  first  return  was  now 
counted  necessity.  And  each  return  home  found 
this  condition  repeating  itself. 

It  reminded  me  of  the  experience  of  Sir  John 
Franklin  in  one  of  his  Arctic  explorations.  His 
ship  was  hemmed  in  by  an  ice-field  so  that  prog- 
ress was  impossible.  All  he  could  do  was  to 
calculate  his  longitude  and  latitude,  and  wait. 
The  next  day  he  was  still  hemmed  in,  and  so  far 
as  he  could  see,  was  exactly  where  he  had  been 
on  the  previous  day.  But  on  calculating  longi- 
tude and  latitude  again,  he  was  surprised  to  find 
that  the  ship  had  drifted  several  miles  backward 
from  the  position  of  the  previous  day. 

It  would  be  a  sensible  thing  for  us  to  make 
frequent  calculations,  and  find  out  where  we  are, 
and  prayerfully  steer  a  changed  course  if  we've 
been  drifting.  But  we  can't  decide  such  ques- 
tions for  each  other,  and  they  can't  be  decided  by 


The  Valleys  153 

what  another  does.  They  can  only  be  decided 
alone  on  one's  knees  with  the  Master,  with  the 
Book,  and  perhaps  a  map  of  the  world  at  hand. 
We  need  both  the  Word  of  God,  and  a  view  of 
the  world  of  God  to  shape  our  judgment.  No, 
it's  not  a  question  of  money  primarily,  nor  of 
missions,  only  of  personal  loyalty  to  our  Lord 
Jesus,  and  to  the  passion  of  His  heart. 

Grafted. 

Have  you  noticed  the  significance  of  that  word 
"  abide  "  which  our  Lord  used  on  the  night  of 
His  betrayal  ?  *  "  Abide  "  means  a  grafting  proc- 
ess ;  we  were  branches  in  the  vine,  but  we  were 
broken  off  by  sin.  The  only  way  to  abide  in 
that  vine  is  by  being  grafted  in.  "  Abide " 
means  grafted.  But  the  grafting  process  has 
two  wounds.  It  means  a  knife  used  twice.  It 
means  a  wound  in  the  vine-stock,  and  our  Mas- 
ter flinched  not  there.  It  means  likewise  a 
wound  in  the  branch  to  be  grafted  in.  Just  as 
surely  as  the  knife  must  make  the  incision  into 
the  stock,  it  must  also  cut  the  end  of  the  branch 
before  it  can  be  grafted  in.  Our  Master  flinched 
not.  How  about  you  and  me  when  it  comes  to 
the  knife,  with  its  sharp  cutting  edge,  and  slash 
and  sting? 

Perhaps  this  explains  why  there's  so  little  life, 
so  little  sap-flow,  so  little  fruit.  If  you  follow 
along  the  narrow  road  your  progress  is  sure  to 

^ohn  xv. 


154  On  Following  the  Christ 

be  barred  by  a  knife  thrust  out  across  the  path. 
And  the  whole  instinct  of  our  nature  is  to  shrink 
from  the  knife.  The  sacrificial  knife  becomes 
the  pruning,  the  grafting  knife.  There  can  be 
no  life  without  that  knife.  Failure  to  obey  cuts 
off  the  supply  of  life. 

I  became  greatly  interested  in  a  young  man 
whom  I  met  in  Japan.  He  comes  of  a  noble, 
wealthy  family.  He  attended  a  mission  school  to 
study  English,  learned  to  read  the  Bible,  became 
intensely  interested,  and  then  decided  to  become 
a  Christian.  But  his  family  was  violently  op- 
posed, and  pleaded  earnestly  with  him.  He  would 
in  time  be  the  head  of  his  family,  but  if  he  in- 
sisted now  on  being  a  Christian  he  would  be  dis- 
owned. He  was  to  be  trained  in  the  Imperial 
University,  and  could  have  chosen  a  public  na- 
tional career  including  the  probability  of  mem- 
bership in  the  Imperial  diet,  but  he  remained  true 
to  his  decision.  And  he  was  disowned  in  dis- 
grace, cast  adrift  without  a  cent.  Now  he  is 
devoting  himself  to  mission  work  in  the  city 
where  I  met  him,  working  among  the  neediest 
and  lowest.  I  was  told  that  the  police  gladly  say 
that  his  mission  has  greater  power  than  they  in 
preserving  order  in  that  worst  quarter  of  the 
city. 

The  night  I  stood  by  his  side,  speaking  through 
his  interpretation,  a  Japanese  policeman  dragged 
up  a  couple  of  youths  who  had  been  giving  trou- 
ble, and  pushed  them  in,  saying,  "  Here's  the 
place  for  you;  now  listen  to  that."    And  I  have 


The  Valleys  155 

never  been  in  a  simple  service  where  the  quiet  in- 
tense power  of  God  was  more  marked.  This  is 
what  obedience  meant  to  him.  And  this  too  is 
what  abiding  meant.  He  yielded  to  the  grafting 
knife,  and  the  life  of  the  vine-stock  came  flowing 
freely  through,  bearing  abundant  fruit. 

A  few  years  ago  I  read  a  simple  story  in  "  The 
Sunday-school  Times  "  that  brought  a  lump  in 
my  throat.  The  writer  told  of  a  south-bound 
train  stopping  at  a  station  near  Washington  City. 
At  the  last  moment,  an  old  negro  with  white 
hair  came  hurriedly  forward  and  clambered  on 
the  last  coach  as  the  train  pulled  out.  He  was 
very  black,  and  very  dusty,  and  single  occupants 
of  seats  looked  apprehensive  as  he  shuffled  along 
looking  for  a  seat.  But  he  did  not  offer  to  in- 
trude, but  stood  at  the  end  of  the  car,  looking 
with  big  wondering  eyes  down  the  car.  He 
was  evidently  very  tired.  Then  a  young  man 
offered  him  space  in  his  seat,  for  which  he 
seemed  very  grateful,  and  with  child-like  sim- 
plicity began  talking. 

He  was  going  back  home  "  to  Georgy  " ;  had 
been  up  in  Virginia  for  years  with  the  rare  old 
slave  loyalty  serving  his  old  master  between 
times,  while  earning  his  own  way.  Now  his 
master  was  dead  and  he  was  going  back  down 
to  the  old  home  state,  "  back  to  Georgy,"  and  the 
words  came  softly,  while  his  hand  tenderly  pat- 
ted the  seat  cushion.  Clearly  Georgia  was  the 
acme  of  happiness  and  content  for  him.  As  the 
train  boy  came  through,  the  young  man  bought 


156  On  Following  the  Christ 

some  sandwiches  for  the  old  negro.  He  was 
very  grateful.  Yes,  he  was  hungry,  and  had 
walked  several  miles  to  get  the  train.  He 
couldn't  spend  money  for  "  victuals  " ;  "  money's 
too  skase  fur  buying  things  on  the  road,"  he  said, 
"  I  was  'lowin'  ter  fill  up  arter  I  done  reach 
Georgy." 

Then  the  conductor  came  in  for  tickets.  The 
black  man  anxiously  fumbled  through  one  pocket 
after  another,  and  finally  remembered  that  his 
ticket  was  pinned  to  the  lining  of  his  hat.  "  Done 
tuk  ebery  cent  I  could  scrape  up  to  get  dat 
ticket,"  he  said,  "  but  dat's  all  right.  I  kin  wuk, 
an'  fo'ks  don'  need  money  when  dey's  home." 
The  conductor  had  passed  on  to  the  next  seat 
behind.  There  sat  a  shabbily  dressed  woman, 
with  anxious,  frightened-looking  face,  the  seat 
full  of  bundles  and  a  pale-faced  baby  in  arms. 

"  Tickets,  please." 

The  woman's  face  flushed  red,  and  then  grew 
white  and  set,  as  she  said,  "  I  haven't  any." 

"  Have  to  get  off  then ;  save  me  the  trouble  of 
putting  you  off." 

The  woman  sprang  up  with  terror  in  her  big 
eyes,  "  Don't  put  me  off ;  my  husband's  dying ; 
the  doctor  said  he  must  go  South;  we've  sold 
everything  left  to  send  him;  now  he's  dying;  I 
must  go  to  him.    But  I  have  no  money,  don't  put 

me  off.     My  God — my  God — if  you "    Her 

plea  poured  out  in  excited,  jerky  sentences.  But 
the  conductor  could  do  nothing.  He  must  obey 
his  instructions,  or  be  discharged.    The  woman 


The  Valleys  157 

sank  back  sobbing,  in  the  seat.  The  conductor 
turned  back  to  get  the  old  negro's  ticket. 

"  I'se  feared  you'll  have  to  put  me  off,  boss," 
he  said  humbly,  "  don't  expect  a  pore  ole  nigger 
like  me  to  raise  enuf  fur  a  ticket."  The  con- 
ductor harshly  ordered  him  off  the  train  at  the 
next  station,  saying  there  was  some  excuse  for 
the  poor  woman,  but  none  for  him.  The  train 
began  to  slow  up  for  the  station.  The  old  negro 
quietly  dropped  his  ticket  into  the  lap  of  the 
woman,  saying,  "  Here's  yo'  ticket,  missus.  I 
do  hopes  yo'  find  dat  husban'  o'  yourn  ain'  so 
bad  as  yo'se  afeared."  And  before  her  dazed 
eyes  could  take  in  what  he  was  doing,  the  old  man 
had  shuffled  out  of  the  car,  and  as  the  train  pulled 
on  he  was  seen  quietly  plodding  along,  still 
"  bound  for  Georgy." 

And  there  was  no  mention  of  Christ  in  the 
story,  but  one  who  knows  the  old  typical  slave 
class  to  which  he  belongs  needs  not  to  be  told 
of  the  motive  down  in  his  heart.  That's  what 
obedience,  unanalyzed,  undeliberated  about, 
meant  to  him.  Have  you  ever  worn  the 
"  Georgy  "  shoes  ?  Have  you  ever  tramped  to 
"  Georgy  "  ?  If  some  of  us  might  find  out  the 
old  man's  cobbler  and  get  some  "  Georgy " 
tramping  shoes !  The  way  of  obedience  is  a  way 
of  sacrifice. 


4.  THE  HILLTOPS— EXPERIENCES 
OF  GLADNESS  AND  GLORY 

Valley  Music. 

There  was  a  third  group  of  experiences  in  our 
Lord  Jesus'  life.  But  it  will  be  good  for  us  to 
remember  that  the  third  comes  after  the  second. 
There  can  be  no  third  until  there  has  been  a 
second.  It  is  impossible  to  take  first  and  third 
and  omit  the  second.  The  third  can  come  only 
after  the  second.  There  can  be  experiences  of 
gladness  and  glory  only  to  him  who  follows  all  the 
way.  The  hilltop  experiences  come  after  going 
down  through  the  valley.  And  there  is  no  way 
of  reaching  the  hills  except  through  the  valley. 

But  there  is  a  hilltop  roadway  of  exhilarating 
air  and  outlook  for  him  who  has  been  through  the 
valley.  The  valley  is  only  part  of  the  way.  There 
are  heights,  too,  as  well  as  depths.  And  if 
the  depths  have  seemed  very  deep,  yet  remember 
the  valley  depth  tells  how  high  the  height  is. 
The  only  way  up  is  down.  And  you  go  as  high 
up  as  you  have  gone  down,  and  then  a  bit  higher. 
For  you  started  down  from  the  level  of  the  main 
road,  and  you  go  up  above  the  level.  But  you 
go  up  higher  than  you  go  down.  The  hilltops  are 
higher  above  the  main  road  than  the  valley  is 
158 


The  Hilltops  159 

below.  The  glory  comes  to  be  more  than  the 
sacrifice. 

Sacrifice  is  only  one-half  of  a  chapter,  the 
first  half;  there  is  a  second  half,  the  musical 
half.  There's  a  wondrous  singing  in  the  heart, 
even  while  the  knife  is  cutting,  such  as  only  he 
knows  who  goes  this  way.  There's  a  breeze 
from  the  hilltops  that  comes  sweeping  down 
through  the  trees,  while  you  are  slowly  picking 
your  way  along  the  rough,  narrow  valley  road. 
That  breeze  plays  upon  your  inner  strings  and 
makes  rare  ^Eolian  melody.  It  is  the  breeze  of 
God  playing  upon  the  heart-strings  of  your  soul. 
But  this  music  is  heard  only  in  this  valley  road. 
Lovers  of  music  say  there  is  nothing  to  compare 
with  it. 

You  remember  the  words,  "  who  for  the  joy 
that  was  set  before  Him."  x  Ah,  the  joy !  As  the 
Master's  feet  slipped  down  into  the  dark  shad- 
ows— the  shame,  the  cross,  the  tomb — there  was 
something  else  under  the  pain  He  was  suffering. 
There  was  a  low  underchording  of  sweet  minor 
music,  the  rhythmic  swinging  of  His  will  with 
His  Father's.  And  that  music  still  sang  as  He 
slipped  down  quite  out  of  sight  under  the  cold 
waters  of  the  river  at  the  bottom  of  the  gorge. 

The  Transfiguration  Mount. 

There  were  three  of  these  glory  experiences  in 
our  Lord's  life,  with  a  fourth  one  yet  to  come. 
Hebrews  xii.  2. 


160  On  Following  the  Christ 

Midway  in  the  last  year  came  the  Transfigura- 
tion Mount.  In  a  sore  emergency,  for  the  sake 
of  the  leaders  of  His  little  band  of  disciples,  the 
inner  glory  of  His  being  was  allowed  to  shine  out 
through  His  humanity.  The  glory  of  God  shined 
out  from  within  Him.  The  usual  fashion  of  His 
countenance  was  altered  by  the  dazzling  beauty- 
light  shining  out  through  it. 

And  this  too  will  be  true  of  those  who  follow 
truly.  As  we  live  with  our  faces  ever  held  open 
to  Him,  the  glory  of  His  face  will  be  reflected  in 
ours,  and  we  shall  be  changed  more  and  more 
into  His  image.1  I  have  frequently  told  the 
story  of  the  jurist  who  lived  in  our  middle-west 
country  two  generations  ago,  a  confirmed  but 
honest  sceptic,  and  who  was  converted  by  the 
face  of  a  fellow  townsman.  The  sceptic  became 
thoroughly  convinced  that  the  thing  in  his  neigh- 
bour's face  which  so  attracted  him  was  his 
Christian  faith,  and  it  was  this  that  led  the  sceptic 
to  accept  Christ.  Last  year,  I  met  out  in  the 
Orient  a  kinswoman  of  the  man  with  the  con- 
vincing face. 

I  remember  distinctly  one  night,  years  ago,  in 
northern  Missouri,  a  young  woman  waited  at  the 
close  of  a  meeting  with  her  friend.  We  talked 
and  prayed  together  and  she  made  the  great  de- 
cision. I  can  remember  looking  after  the  two 
as  they  went  out,  wondering  to  myself  how 
much  it  meant  to  her.  I  could  not  judge  from 
her  demeanour.     But  the  next  night  they  were 

XII  Corinthians  iii.  18. 


The  Hilltops  161 

back  again,  and  instantly  I  knew  that  it  had 
meant  much,  everything,  to  her.  The  transfigur- 
ing peace  was  upon  her  face.  I  would  have 
called  her  face  plain  the  evening  before.  Now  it 
was  really  beautiful  in  the  sweet  clear  light 
shining  out  of  it. 

Two  things  stand  out  sharply  in  my  memory 
of  Ping  Yang,  in  Korea.  One  is  the  visit  to 
the  home  of  a  Christian  family,  whose  head  was 
one  of  those  being  held  in  prison  in  the  famous 
conspiracy  case.  I  still  feel  the  pathos  of  face 
and  voice  as  the  dear  old  mother,  and  the  gentle 
wife,  asked  so  eagerly,  "  When  will  he  be 
back?" 

The  other,  was  the  faces  of  certain  of  the 
women  in  the  church  service  there.  I  found  my- 
self time  and  again  turning  to  look  at  their  faces 
as  I  was  speaking.  There  was  a  sweet  light  that 
transfigured  their  worn  faces,  and  gave  them  a 
real  beauty.  It  was  the  more  striking  against  the 
background  of  the  faces  one  sees  in  those  Ori- 
ental lands. 

The  story  has  been  told  in  various  ways  of  the 
European  artist  sent  to  a  Salvation  Army  meet- 
ing to  make  a  caricature.  He  was  an  infidel,  with 
a  sinful  life,  an  uneasy  conscience,  and  a  sore 
heart.  But  the  faces  he  saw  there  of  those  re- 
deemed out  of  the  depths  of  sin,  convinced  him 
that  they  had  what  he  needed,  and  what  he 
afterwards  got,  at  the  same  place  as  they,  the  feet 
of  Christ.    One  who  has  looked  into  the  faces  at 


1 62  On  Following  the  Christ 

some  of  the  Salvation  Army  meetings  has  no 
trouble  believing  the  story. 

Now  this  is  part  of  our  Master's  great  plan 
for  reaching  His  world.  He  comes  in  to  us,  if 
we  let  Him.  He  changes  us  as  we  yield  to  Him. 
The  beauty  of  this  wondrous  One  within  shines 
out  of  face  and  eyes,  and  touches  those  whom  we 
touch.  His  presence  transfigures  when  He  is 
allowed  to  dominate.  We  are  changed  from 
within.  Though  like  Moses  and  Stephen  we  will 
not  wist  of  the  transfiguration,  only  of  the  Great 
One  whose  presence  within  it  is  that  makes  the 
change.  We  know  the  peace  and  music  within; 
others  know  more  of  the  change  in  face  and 
life. 


Resurrection  Power — A  Present  Experience. 

There  is  a  second  experience  in  this  group.  In 
sharpest  contrast  with  Jacob's  tomb  stands  out 
the  Resurrection  Morning.  Our  Lord  Jesus  rose 
up  out  of  death.  The  strongest  bars  that  death 
could  make — and  surely  every  one  of  us  has  some 
sore  experience  of  their  strength  in  holding  dear 
ones  from  us — those  strongest  bars  were  snapped, 
as  a  woman  breaks  the  cotton  thread  in  her  sew- 
ing. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  rose  up  again  into  life,  and 
into  a  new,  a  higher,  a  different  sort  of  life.  The 
personal  identity  was  unchanged.  His  disciples 
recognized  His  voice  and  face  and  form,  as  they 
talked  and  ate  with  Him.     But  the  limitations 


The  Hilltops  163 

were  gone.  The  control  of  spirit  over  body  was 
complete. 

And  it  is  a  bit  of  His  gracious  plan  that  we 
shall  follow  Him  here,  too.  When  He  returns  in 
glory  there  will  be  a  resurrection  for  those  who 
have  followed  Him.  As  He  comes  down  on  the 
clouds,  the  dead  bodies  of  those  who  have  the 
warm  vital  touch  with  Him,  that  the  word  "  be- 
lieveth  "  stands  for,  will  be  touched  into  a  new 
life  and  be  reunited  with  the  spirits  that  had 
lived  in  them. 

There  will  be  a  wondrous  meeting  in  the  air 
with  Himself,  and  an  equally  wondrous  reunion 
in  His  presence  of  those  bound  to  us  and  to  Him 
by  ties  of  love.  Our  personal  identity  will  be 
the  same,  loved  ones  instantly  recognizing  loved 
ones.  But  the  bodies  will  be  of  a  new  sort,  free 
of  all  the  limitations  and  weaknesses  of  our  earth 
life.  And  our  Lord's  return  is  peculiarly  pre- 
cious because  it  is  the  time  of  this  change  and 
reunion. 

But  there  is  yet  more  than  this.  This  is  some- 
thing future.  There  is  a  present  meaning  of  the 
resurrection-life  for  us,  to-day,  if  we'll  accept 
it,  and  live  in  the  power  of  it.  There  may  be  the 
resurrection  life  and  power  coming  into  our 
bodies  now.  As  the  need  comes,  it  is  our  privi- 
lege to  look  up,  and  ask  for,  and  experience 
resurrection  power  coming  down  into  our  bodies, 
overcoming  their  weaknesses  and  diseased  condi- 
tions. 

The  subject  of  healing  involves  much  more, 


164  On  Following  the  Christ 

for  a  full  poised  understanding  of  the  Scripture 
teaching,  than  can  be  satisfactorily  talked  over 
in  the  brief  limits  here.  But  the  great  fact  can  be 
thus  simply  stated,  that  there  is  full  healing  for 
our  bodies  by  God's  direct  touch  upon  them. 
But  this  means  on  our  part  living  a  real  faith  life, 
looking  up  moment  by  moment,  receiving  from 
His  hand  constantly  what  is  needed,  and  using 
it  wholly  for  Him.  It  is  actually  a  living  of  the 
dependent  life  as  regards  the  bodily  needs. 

Paul  is  clearly  speaking  of  a  present  experience 
when  he  says,  "  If  the  Spirit  of  Him  who  raised 
up  Jesus  from  the  dead  dwelleth  in  you,  He  that 
raised  up  Christ  Jesus  from  the  dead  shall  give 
life  also  to  your  dying  bodies  by  means  of  His 
Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you."  1  But  this  resurrec- 
tion power  coming  in  to  affect  our  bodily  condi- 
tions is  frequently  in  the  midst  of  most  difficult 
trying  circumstances.  It  is  as  though  a  subtle 
hindering  power  were  tenaciously  at  work,  and 
this  were  being  offset  and  overcome  by  the  resur- 
rection power. 

It  was  under  just  such  circumstances  that  Paul 
writes  these  words :  "  We  who  live  are  always 
delivered  unto  death  for  Jesus'  sake,  that  the  life 
also — the  resurrection  life — of  Jesus  may  be 
manifested  in  our  dying  bodies." 2  This  as 
plainly  means  a  present  experience  of  power  in 

1Romans  viii.  II. 

2II  Corinthians  iv.  11.  ''Dying"  in  these  two  pas- 
sages does  not  mean  being  in  the  process  of  dissolution, 
but  that  the  body  is  subject  to  death. 


The  Hilltops  165 

our  bodies,  overcoming  weakness,  disease,  and 
the  tendency  to  death. 

This  is  the  present  meaning  of  the  resurrec- 
tion for  us.  But  it  is  possible  only  for  those 
who  will  live  the  resurrection  life  of  separation 
and  of  union ;  separation  from  all  that  separates 
from  the  closest  union  of  life  with  our  Lord 
Jesus.  And  it  comes  oftentimes  through  much 
conflict  and  difficulty.  This  bit  of  the  road  is 
much  contested. 


The  Ascension  Life — Power  in  Possession. 

When  our  Lord  Jesus  had  tarried  long  enough 
to  make  clear  to  His  disciples  His  actual  bodily 
resurrection,  He  ascended  to  the  Father's  right 
hand,  and  was  seated  there  in  the  place  of  high- 
est honour  and  power.  So  He  began  living  the 
Ascension  Life.  That  means  two  things,  it  is 
the  life  of  'fullest  power  in  actual  possession ; 
and  that  power  is  exercised  through  prayer,1  His, 
and  then — ours.  Through  His  intercession  with 
the  Father,  and  through  our  intercession  in 
Christ's  Name,  the  power  comes  from  the 
Father  through  Christ  to  us,  and  so  through  us. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  is  eager  to  have  us  follow  Him 
here  also.  Following  this  time  means,  actually 
using  the  power  that  has  been  placed  at  our  dis- 
posal. It  means  receiving  from  His  pierced  hand 
all   He   has   actually   redeemed    for   us   by   His 

^phesians  i.  20,  21 ;  Acts  ii.  33 ;  John  xiv.  12,  13 ; 
Romans  viii.  34;  Hebrews  vii.  25;  ix.  24. 


1 66  On  Following  the  Christ 

precious  blood.  There  is  so  much  that  is  ours  by 
right  that  we  do  not  take  and  use.  Some  do  not 
take  because  they  don't  live  where  they  can  take. 
And  some  live  where  they  can  take,  who  yet  do 
not  take. 

Since  the  Father  thinks  of  us  as  risen  with 
Christ  and  seated  with  Him  in  the  place  of  high- 
est power,  we  should  seek  to  live  up  there,  by 
His  grace.1  The  ascension  life  for  us  means 
simply  living  the  actual  life  of  power  that  has 
been  made  possible  for  us,  and  using  that  power 
through  prayer. 

It  helps  to  remember  here  just  how  much  may 
be  included  in  that  word  "  prayer."  One  cannot 
be  all  the  time  on  his  knees,  praying  with  his 
lips.  And  it  certainly  was  not  meant  that  we 
should  be.  Yet  there  can  be  prayer  "  without 
ceasing."  Prayer  is  an  act,  the  kneeling,  and 
giving  voice  to  the  desires  of  our  hearts.  Then 
the  act  grows  into  a  habit,  as  this  becomes  one  of 
the  fixed  things  of  our  daily  round.  And  the 
habit  full  grown,  becomes  a  life.  All  the  life 
grows  out  of  that  bit  of  kneeling-time,  and  all 
the  life  is  carried  to  it.  The  hidden  springs  of 
the  life  are  here. 

And  prayer  becomes  a  mental  attitude.  You 
think  of  everything  that  comes  up,  opportunity, 
difficulty,  emergency,  crisis,  plannings, — you  in- 
stinctively come  to  think  about  each  thing  from 
the  standpoint  of  the  kneeling-time.  And  so 
prayer  grows  to  be  an  atmosphere.     You  live 

^olossians  iii.  i ;  Ephesians  ii.  6. 


The  Hilltops  167 

your  life  in  His  presence  to  whom  you  kneel. 
He  is  always  present.  You  come  to  recognize 
His  presence,  which  means  that  His  presence 
dominates  all  your  life.  He,  this  One  whom  you 
go  to  meet  at  the  kneeling-time,  He  is  ahvays 
here  with  you,  listening  to  the  unspoken  thoughts. 
By  and  by  you  come  instinctively  to  think  your 
thoughts  as  in  His  presence.  Your  longings, 
plannings,  difficulties  are  held  open  before  Him. 
Prayer  becomes  the  atmosphere  you  breathe. 

And  so  prayer  comes  to  be  a  person.  You 
are  the  prayer.  The  Father  looking  down  comes 
to  recognize  you,  by  your  very  attitude  of  heart, 
as  a  prayer,  a  continual,  walking,  living  prayer, 
as  you  go  quietly  about  your  simple,  homely 
round.  And  the  powers  of  evil,  too,  so  recognize 
it.  And  the  Man  at  the  Father's  right  hand 
recognizes  in  you  one  whom  He  has  redeemed, 
and  who,  by  His  grace,  would  be  and  do  and 
have,  in  actual  life,  all  He  has  gotten  for  you. 

And  through  that  six-fold  continuous  prayer, 
by  the  man  who  yields  all,  and  reaches  out  for 
all  that  is  now  his,  the  power  of  God  is  being 
continually  loosened  out  among  men,  and  the 
Father's  plan  being  worked  out.  So,  our  Lord's 
ascension  life  at  the  Father's  right  hand,  finds 
its  echo  in  the  ascension  life  being  lived  by  His 
follower  on  the  earth. 


1 68  On  Following  the  Christ 

The  Coming  Glory. 

Then  comes  the  glorious  future  experience, 
the  Kingdom  Reign  and  Glory.  Some  day  our 
Lord  Jesus  will  rise  up  from  His  seat,  and  step 
again  into  the  direct  action  of  the  affairs  of  earth. 
Soon  after  that  day  He  will  begin  reigning  over 
the  earth  as  its  King.  The  later  pages  of  the 
Old  Testament  are  all  aglow  with  the  glory  of 
that  time.  He  shall  reign  from  the  Mediterra- 
nean, at  the  centre  of  the  earth,  out  to  the  farthest 
sea-coast  line,  and  from  the  Euphrates  east  and 
west  to  the  most  distant  ends  of  the  earth.1 

And  those  who  have  followed  Him  during 
these  trying  days  of  His  absence,  shall  reign 
with  Him  over  all  the  earth,  and  be  sharers  in 
His  glory.2  He  will  give  both  grace  and  glory.3 
Grace  is  the  beginning  of  glory,  and  glory  is  the 
fulness  of  grace.  It  is  all  grace,  free  unmerited 
favour. 

Now  I  have  grouped  these  experiences  in  this 
way  to  get  a  clear  understanding  of  them.  But 
we  must  remember  that  they  did  not  come  in 
groups  in  Christ's  life,  and  they  won't  in  ours. 
The  red  and  yellow  threads,  the  dark  and  bright, 
are  interwoven  throughout  the  web,  to  make  the 
beauty  of  the  pattern.  The  minor  chords  come 
up  here  and  there  through  the  others,  sometimes 
overcoming,  sometimes  yielding  to,  the  joyous 

1  Psalm  Ixxii.  8,  9. 

2Revelation  ii.  26,  27;  v.  10;  xx.  4. 

8  Psalm  lxxxiv.  II. 


The  Hilltops  169 

notes.  The  road  of  life  runs  valley  and  hill,  val- 
ley and  hill,  up  and  down. 

There  were  great  crises  in  Christ's  life,  and 
there  may  be,  there  quite  likely  will  be,  crisis 
points  in  ours,  but  in  the  main  the  hard  places 
intersperse  with  the  smooth  going.  The  weaver 
sitting  at  his  loom  runs  in  a  dark  shuttle-thread, 
and  then  a  sharp  blow  of  the  beam  puts  it  in 
place;  then  a  bright  thread  and  a  sharp  blow  of 
the  beam,  and  so,  slowly,  patiently,  threads  and 
blows  follow  each  other  till  the  design  has  been 
worked  out. 

Even  so  wall  it  be  in  this  "  Follow  Me  "  road. 
A  glad,  joyous  experience  may  be  followed  by  the 
one  that  is  bitter  and  that  hurts;  and  that  again, 
perhaps,  by  something  gladsome  and  cheery, 
while  the  daily  round  of  life  plods  slowly  on, 
day  after  day,  week  in  and  out,  as  the  calendar 
works  its  steady  way  to  the  end,  and  then  begins 
anew. 

But  all  the  while  there's  the  presence  of  the 
wondrous  One,  unseen  by  outer  eyes,  but  unmis- 
takably real.  And  His  presence  gives  peace. 
And  there's  an  unfailing,  guiding  hand,  whose 
grasp  steadies  you  as  you  push  along. 

This  is  the  road.  And  yonder,  just  ahead,  is 
the  Lone  Man,  whose  wondrous  face  calls,  and 
the  reach  of  His  pierced  hand  beckons.  Let  us 
take  a  careful  look  at  the  road,  and  a  long  look 
at  the  Man,  and  then . 


SHALL  WE  GO  ? 

The  Deeper  Meaning  of  Friendship. 

A  friend  in  need  is  a  friend  indeed.  Our  Lord 
Jesus  was  our  friend  in  our  need.  It  was  a  des- 
perate need.  It  could  not  be  worse.  We  had 
been  badly  hurt  by  sin.  The  hurt  was  so  bad 
that  we  could  do  nothing  without  help.  Our 
Lord  Jesus  came  to  our  help. 

It  was  not  easy  for  Him  to  be  our  friend. 
Friendship  is  sometimes  very  costly.  His  repu- 
tation went,  and  then  His  life.  But  He  never 
flinched.  He  was  thinking  of  us.  Our  need 
controlled  Him.  There  were  two  controlling 
words  in  our  Lord  Jesus'  life — passion  and  com- 
passion. He  had  a  passion  for  His  Father.  He 
had  compassion  for  us.  The  two  dovetailed  per- 
fectly. The  Father  had  an  overwhelming  com- 
passion for  us.  The  passion  for  the  Father  in 
our  Lord's  heart  included  the  throbbing,  sobbing 
compassion  for  us.  The  compassion  was  the 
manward  expression  of  the  passion  for  the 
Father. 

It  was  this  compassion  that  controlled  Him 

those  human  years.     It  drove  Him  hard  along 

the  road  we've  been  looking  at.    He  was  driven 

into  the  Wilderness,  through  the  years  of  sacri- 

170 


Shall  We  Go?  171 

ficial  service,  out  into  the  grove  of  the  olive 
trees,  up  the  steep  hill  of  Calvary,  down  into  the 
depths  of  Joseph's  tomb.  Step-by-step  He 
pushed  His  way  along,  for  He  was  thinking  of 
His  Father  and  of  us.  The  passion  for  the 
Father  meant  a  compassion  for  us.  Things 
proved  worse  in  realization  as  He  came  up  close 
to  them,  as  they  began  to  touch  His  very  life. 
But  He  never  wavered.  He  never  flinched,  for 
He  was  thinking  of  us.  He  was  our  Friend,  our 
Friend  in  our  desperate  need.  A  friend  in  need 
is  a  friend  indeed.  It  was  by  deeds  that  He  met 
our  needs. 

But  friendship  is  mutual.  It  has  two  sides, 
its  enjoyments  and  its  obligations.  That  word 
"  friendship "  has  two  meanings.  It  means 
fellowship.  Two  who  are  congenial  in  thought 
and  aim  and  spirit  can  have  sweet  fellowship  to- 
gether as  they  make  exchange  with  each  other 
of  the  deep  things  of  their  spirits.  This  is  one 
meaning,  and  a  sweet,  hallowed  meaning,  too. 
Then  there  is  the  other.  You  are  in  some  sore 
need.  It  is  a  desperate  emergency  in  your  life, 
and  out  of  the  circle  of  your  friends  one  singles 
himself  out,  and  comes  to  your  aid.  At  real 
cost  or  sacrifice  to  himself  perhaps,  he  gives 
you  that  which  meets  and  tides  over  your  emer- 
gency. 

This  is  the  deeper,  the  rarer  meaning  of  the 
word,  rarer  both  in  being  less  frequent  and  in 
being  very  precious.  Fellowship  friends  may 
be   many;    emergency   friends   very,   very   few. 


'172  On  Following  the  Christ 

And  if  circumstances  so  turn  out  that  this  man 
who  has  so  rarely  proven  himself  your  friend,  is 
himself  in  some  emergency,  and  you  are  now  in 
position  to  help  him,  as  once  he  helped  you,  you 
count  it  not  only  an  obligation  of  the  highest  sort, 
but  the  rarest  of  privileges.  And  with  great  joy 
you  come  to  his  help  without  stopping  to  count 
the  cost  in  the  doubtful,  questioning  way. 
Friendship  is  mutual. 

Now  this  second,  this  deep,  rare  meaning,  is 
the  one  we're  using  just  now.  It  comes  to  in- 
clude the  fellowship  meaning,  so  enriching  the 
emergency  friendship  yet  more.  But  the  empha- 
sis is  on  the  emergency  meaning  of  the  word 
friendship.  Our  Friend  was  a  friend  in  this 
deepest,  rarest  way,  in  the  desperate  emergency 
of  our  lives. 

And  now  this  Friend  of  ours  is  in  need,  a 
need  so  great  that  it  is  an  emergency.  And  this 
seems  a  startling  thing  to  say.  You  may  think 
I'm  indulging  some  rhetorical  figure  of  speech 
merely.  He,  the  Lord  Jesus,  in  need!  He  is 
now  seated  at  the  Father's  right  hand  in  glory. 
He  is  "  far  above  all  rule  and  authority  and 
power  and  dominion."  He  is  the  sovereign  ruler 
of  our  world.  How  can  it  be  said,  with  any 
soberness  of  practical  meaning,  that  He  is  in 
need,  and  in  desperate  need  ?  Yet,  let  me  repeat 
very  quietly,  that  it  is  even  so. 

He  needs  our  co-operation.  He  needs  the  hu- 
man means  through  which  to  work  out  His 
plans.     The  power  of  God  has  always  flowed 


Shall  We  Go?  173 

through  human  channels.  And  His  plans  have 
waited,  have  been  delayed  because  He  has  not 
always  been  able  to  find  men  willing  to  let  Him 
use  them  as  He  will.  This  is  the  only  explana- 
tion of  the  long,  weary  waiting  of  the  earth  for 
His  promised  Kingdom.  This,  only,  explains 
centuries  of  delay  in  the  working  out  of  His 
plans.  The  delay,  the  dark  centuries,  the  misery, 
— these  have  been  no  part  of  His  plan,  but  dead 
set  against  His  plan. 

"The  restless  millions  wait  the  Light, 
Whose  coming  maketh  all  things  new. 
Christ  also  waits;  but  men  are  slow  and  late. 
Have  we  done  what  we  could?    Have  I?    Have 
you  ?  " 

Some  unknown  friend,  on  seeing  the  statue  of 
General  Gordon,  as  it  stands  facing  the  great 
desert  and  the  Soudan  at  Khartoum,  made  these 
lines : 


"The    strings    of    camels    come    in    single    file, 
Bearing   their   burdens   o'er  the   desert   sand : 

Swiftly  the  boats  go  plying  on  the  Nile. 
The  needs  of  men  are  met  on  every  hand, 

But   still    I   wait 

For  the  messenger  of  God  who  cometh  late. 

I  see  the  clouds  of  dust  rise  in  the  plain, 
The  measured  tread  of  troops  falls  on  the  ear; 

The  soldier  comes  the  empire  to  maintain, 

Bringing  the  pomp   of   war,  the  reign   of   fear, 

But  still  I  wait 

The  messenger  of  peace,  he  cometh  late. 


174  On  Following  the  Christ 

They  set  me  brooding  o'er  the  desert  drear, 
Where  broodeth   darkness  as  the  deepest  night. 

From  many  a  mosque  there  comes  the  call  to  prayer 
I  hear  no  voice  that  calls  on  Christ  for  light. 

But  still  I  wait 

For  the  messenger  of  Christ,  who  cometh  late."1 


Following  Wholly. 

Our  Friend  is  in  need.  The  world's  condition 
spells  out  the  desperateness  of  that  need.  The 
world's  need  is  His  need.  It  is  His  world.  This 
world  is  God's  prodigal  son.  It  is  the  pas- 
sion of  our  Lord  Jesus'  heart  to  win  His  world 
back,  and  save  it.  That  passion  has  been  re- 
vealed most,  thus  far,  in  His  going  to  the  great 
extreme  of  dying.  That  passion  is  still  unsatis- 
fied. Yonder  He  sits,  with  scarred  face  and 
form,  expecting.2  Bending  eagerly  forward  with 
longing  eyes  He  is  expecting.  He  is  expectantly 
waiting  our  response,  expectantly  waiting  the  day 
when  things  will  have  ripened  on  the  earth  for 
the  next  step  in  the  great  plan. 

And  down  from  the  throne  comes  the  same 
eager  cry  He  used  when  amongst  us  on  earth, 
"  Follow  Me."  This  is  the  one  call,  with  many 
variations,  that  runs  through  the  seven-fold 
message  to  His  followers  in  the  book  of  the 
Revelation.3 

Anonymous,  in  "  Egyptian  Mission  News,"  copied 
from  S.  M.  Zwemer's  "Unoccupied  Fields  of  the 
World." 

2Hebrews  x.  12,  13. 

"Revelation  ii.,  iii. 


Shall  We  Go?  175 

But  He  calls  for  real  followers.  He  needs 
Calebs,  who  are  willing,  if  need  be,  to  face  a 
whole  nation  dead-bent  on  going  the  other  way, 
and  yet  who  never  flinch  but  insist  on  following 
fully.  Caleb's  following  was  so  unflinching,  so 
against  the  current  of  his  whole  time,  that  it 
stands  out  with  the  peculiar  emphasis  of  a  six- 
fold mention.1 

Those  who  follow  "  wholly  "  seem  scarce  some- 
times. I  was  struck  recently  with  an  utterance 
by  a  man  prominent  in  business  circles  and  in 
Christian  activity  for  years.  He  was  speaking 
of  how  he  had  been  active  in  a  certain  form  of 
Christian  activity,  and  declared  that  it  had  never 
occasioned  him  any  loss,  or  been  a  detriment  to 
him  in  his  business.  The  words  had  a  strange, 
suspicious  sound.  The  Master  told  those  who 
would  follow  fully  that  they  might  expect  much 
loss  and  detriment. 

The  Master  was  very  careful  to  give  the  "  if's  " 
a  prominent  place.  "  If  any  man  would  come 
after  Me."  2  "  If  any  man  would  serve  Me  let 
him  follow  Me."  3  Those  "  if's  "  are  the  caution- 
ary signals.  They  mean  obstacles  needing  to 
be  considered  before  one  decides.  We  must  de- 
termine whether  we  will  take  them  away  or  not 
Half-way  following,  part-way  following,  has  be- 
come very  common  in  some  of  the  other  parts 
of  the  world,  where  we  don't  live.     I'll  leave 

lumbers  xiv.  24;  xxxii.  12;  Deuteronomy  i.  36; 
Joshua  xiv.  8,  9,  14. 

2  Matthew  xvi.  24.  "John  xii.  26. 


176  On  Following  the  Christ 

you  to  judge  how  it  is  in  your  own  neighbour- 
hood. 

I  have  seen  people  start  down  this  "  Follow 
Me  "  road  with  great  enthusiasm  and  real  ear- 
nestness, singing  as  they  go.  Then  the  road 
begins  to  narrow  a  bit.  The  thorn  bushes  on  the 
side  have  grown  so  thick  and  rank  that  they 
push  over  the  sides  of  the  road,  and  narrow  it 
down.  You  can't  go  along  without  the  thorns 
scratching  face  and  hands  badly  as  you  push 
through. 

And  then  you  suddenly  find  a  knife,  a  sharp- 
edged  knife,  being  held  out  across  the  road,  by 
an  unseen  hand  back  in  the  bushes.  The  cutting 
edge  is  toward  you.  It  is  held  firmly.  It  is 
clearly  impossible  to  go  on  without  a  clash  with 
that  knife.  The  real  meaning  of  that  "  Follow 
Me  "  is  beginning  to  be  seen  now.  Just  ahead 
beyond  the  knife  stands  the  Master,  looking  long- 
ingly, beckoning  earnestly,  calling  still.  But 
that  knife !  It  takes  your  eyes,  and  the  question 
is  on  in  real  earnest. 

And  it  is  very  grievous  to  say  that  some  stop 
there.  They  pitch  their  tents  this  side  the  knife. 
They  may  have  had  the  courage  to  push  through 
the  thorns,  but  this  knife  stops  them.  They're 
not  honest  enough  to  back  clear  out  of  the  road. 
So  they  hold  meetings  on  the  roadway,  confer- 
ences for  the  deepening  of  the  Christian  life,  with 
earnest  addresses,  and  consecration  meetings,  and 
soft  singing.  And  if  perchance  some  one  calls 
attention  to  the   Master  standing  ahead  there, 


Shall  We  Go?  177 

beyond  the  knife,  beckoning, — well,  they  sing 
louder  and  pray  longer  so  as  to  ease  their  con- 
sciences a  bit,  and  deaden  unpleasant  sounds,  but 
they  make  no  move  toward  striking  tents  and 
pushing  on. 

And  many  coming  up  along  the  road  are  hin- 
dered. The  crowds,  the  meetings,  the  singing, 
the  earnestness, — these  take  hold  of  them  and 
keep  them  from  discerning  that  all  this  is  an  ob- 
struction in  the  way.  The  Master's  ahead  yon- 
der, past  that  cutting  knife.  In  a  very  clear  voice 
that  rises  above  meetings  and  music,  He  calls, 
"  If  any  man  would  serve  Me,  let  him  follow 
Me,  let  him  get  in  behind  Me,  and  come  up  close 
after  Me!3  He  who  would  serve,  he  who  would 
help,  must  not  stop  here,  but  push  on  to  where 
the  Master  is  beckoning, — yes,  past  the  knife ! 

But  there  are  big  crowds  at  the  half-way  place, 
this  side  the  knife.  And  there  are  still  larger 
crowds  looking  on  and  sneering,  sneering  at 
those  whose  following  hasn't  got  much  beyond 
the  singing  stage.  The  outside  crowd  does 
love  sincerity,  and  is  very  keen  for  the  faults 
and  flaws  in  those  who  call  themselves  followers. 


The  Tuning-Fork  for  the  Best  Music. 

But  some  push  on;  they  go  forward;  and  as 
they  reach  the  knife  they  grasp  it  firmly  by  the 
blade.  Yes,  it  cuts,  and  cuts  deep.  But  they 
push  on,  on  after  the  Master.  They  turn  the 
knife  into  a  tuning-fork.     Do  you  know  about 


178  On  Following  the  Christ 

this  sort  of  thing?  The  steel  in  a  knife  can  be 
used  to  make  a  tuning-fork.  The  touch  of  obedi- 
ence brings  music  out  of  sacrifice. 

This  is  the  only  tuning-fork  that  can  give  the 
true  pitch  for  that  sweetest  music  we  were  speak- 
ing of  a  little  while  ago.  This  is  a  bit  of  the 
power  of  obedience.  It  can  change  a  challeng- 
ing knife  into  an  instrument  of  music.  This  is 
a  bit  of  the  strategy  of  obedience,  the  fine  tactics 
of  sacrifice.  The  tempter  with  the  knife  would 
hold  us  back.  We  seize  his  knife  from  his  grasp. 
He  can  never  use  that  knife  again.  And  we 
use  it  to  make  sweet  music  to  help  the  march- 
ing. What  was  meant  to  hold  us  back  now 
helps  us  forward. 

This  is  the  tuning-fork  the  Master  used.  He 
would  have  us  use  it,  too.  But  each  one  must 
take  it  himself,  out  of  the  threatening  hand  that 
would  hold  us  back.  As  the  call  to  follow  comes 
we  must  go  on,  no  matter  what  it  involves.  No 
circumstance,  no  possible  loss,  no  sacrifice,  must 
hold  us  back,  for  a  moment,  or  a  step,  from  fol- 
lowing where  our  Friend  calls;  only  so  can  we 
be  His  friend. 

Shall  we  go  on  all  the  zvayf  Or,  shall  we 
join  the  company  at  the  half-way  stopping  place? 
Well,  it's  a  matter  of  your  eyes,  how  you  use 
them.  If  the  knife  holds  your  eyes,  you'll  never 
get  past  it.  That  knife  is  like  the  deadly  ser- 
pent's glittering  eye.  If  the  cobra's  eye  can 
get  your  eye,  you  are  held  fast  in  that  awful, 
deadly  fascination. 


Shall  We  Go?  179 

If  you'll  lift  your  eyes,  to  the  Master's  face ! — 
ah,  that's  the  one  thing,  the  only  thing,  that 
can  hold  our  eyes  with  gaze  steadier  than  any 
serpent  eye.  The  face  of  Christ  Jesus,  torn  by 
thorns,  scarred  by  thongs,  but  with  the  wondrous 
beauty  light  shining  out,  and  those  great  pa- 
tient, pleading  eyes!  This  it  was  that  held  that 
young  Indian  aristocrat  steady,  while  he  sold  all 
— bit  by  bit,  of  such  precious  things — sold  all. 

This  it  was  that  held  steady  the  young  Jewish 
aristocrat,  Paul.  He  never  forgot  the  light  on 
that  caravan  road  north,  above  the  shining  of 
the  sun.  He  never  could  forget  it.  It  blinded 
him.  He  "  could  not  see  for  the  glory  of  that 
light."  Old  ambitions  blurred  out.  Old  at- 
tachments faded,  and  then  faded  clear  out  before 
the  blaze  of  that  light.  Family  ties,  inheritance, 
social  prestige,  reputation,  old  friendships,  old 
honoured  standards, — all  faded  out  in  the  light 
of  Jesus'  face  on  that  northern  road. 

How  to  Follow. 


Shall  we  take  a  look  at  that  face  ?  a  long  look  ? 
Shall  we  go?  Practically  going  means  three 
things,  a  decision,  a  habit  and  a  purpose;  a 
thoughtful,  calculating  decision,  a  daily  unbroken 
habit,  an  unalterable  north-star  sort  of  purpose. 

Go  alone  in  some  quiet  corner  where  you  can 
think  things  out.  Look  at  what  it  may  mean  for 
you  to  follow,  so  far  as  you  know  now.  Most 
of  it  you  don't  know,   and  won't  know,   can't 


180  On  Following  the  Christ 

know  except  as  it  works  out  in  your  life.  Take 
a  long,  quiet,  thoughtful  look  at  the  road.  Then 
take  a  longer,  quieter,  steadier  look  at  Him, 
Christ  Jesus,  once  crucified  for  you,  now  seated 
in  glory  with  all  power,  and  asking  you  to-day  to 
be  a  channel  for  His  power.  Then  decide.  Say, 
"  Lord  Jesus,  I  will  follow  Thee.  This  is  my 
decision.  By  Thy  help,  I  follow  Thee,  I'll  fol- 
low Thee  all  the  way."  That's  the  first  step, 
the  decision. 

As  I  entered  the  tent  at  Keswick  one  morning, 
a  friend  handed  me  these  lines,  which  came  to 
her  pen  at  the  close  of  a  previous  meeting: 

"  I  will  follow  Thee,  dear  Master, 
Though  the  road  be  rough  and  steep, 
Thou  wilt  hold  me  lest  I  falter, 
Thy  strong  hand  must  safely  keep. 

Enter  in,  Lord,  cleanse  Thy  temple, 
Give  the  grace  to  put  away 
All  that  hinders,  all  that's  doubtful, 
O'er  my  life  hold  blessed  sway. 

Use  me,  Master,  for  Thy  glory, 
Live  out  Thine  own  life  through  me, 
That  my  life  may  tell  the  story, 
And  win  others  unto  Thee. 

Keep  me  trusting  Thee,  Lord  Jesus, 
Walking  closely  by  Thy  side, 
Keep  me  resting,  sweetly  resting, 
As  I  in  Thy  love  abide." 

Then  plan  your  work  and  time  so  as  to  get 
a  bit  of  time  off  alone  every  day  with  the  Book 


Shall  We  Go?  181 

and  with  the  Master.  The  chief  thing  is  not 
to  pray,  though  you  will  pray.  It  is  not  for 
Bible  study,  though  that  will  be  there  too.  The 
chief  thing  is  to  meet  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Him- 
self. He  will  come  to  you  through  the  Book. 
He  will  fit  its  messages  into  your  questions  and 
perplexities.  He  Himself  will  come  to  meet 
with  you  when  you  so  go  to  meet  with  Him. 
You  won't  always  realize  His  presence,  for  you 
may  sometimes  be  tired.  But  you  can  recognise 
His  presence.  You  can  cultivate  the  habit  of 
recognizing  His  presence. 

This  is  your  bit  of  daily  school-time,  with  the 
Book  and  the  Master.  It  will  keep  your  spirit 
sweet,  your  heart  hot,  and  your  judgment  sane 
and  poised.  This  is  the  second  thing,  the  habit. 
It  is  the  thing  you  cannot  get  along  without.  It 
must  go  in  daily.  Without  it  things  will  tangle ; 
your  heart  will  cool,  your  spirit  sometimes  take 
on  an  edge  that  isn't  good,  your  judgment  get 
warped  and  twisted,  and  your  will  grow  either 
wabbly  or  stubborn.  This  second  thing  must  be 
put  in  the  daily  round,  and  kept  in.  It  helps 
to  hold  you  steady  to  the  first  thing. 

Then  the  third  is  the  purpose  to  be  true  to 
whatever  the  Master  tells  you,  to  be  true  to 
Himself;  never  to  fail  Him.  You  may  flinch 
within  your  feelings.  You  probably  will.  Yet 
you  need  never  flinch  in  action.  Follow  the 
beckoning  Figure  just  ahead  in  the  road,  re- 
gardless of  thorny  bush  or  cutting  knife.  Keep 
your  spirit  sweet,  your  tongue  gentle  and  slow, 


1 82  On  Following  the  Christ 

your  touch  soft  and  even,  your  purpose  as  in- 
flexible as  wrought  steel,  or  as  granite,  as  un- 
movable  as  the  North  Star.  That's  the  third 
thing,  the  purpose. 

And  the  three  make  the  threefold  cord  with 
which  to  tie  you  fast  and  hard  to  the  Lone  Man 
ahead.  He  is  less  alone  as  we  follow  close  up. 
The  three  together  help  you  understand  the 
meaning  of  obedience.  The  decision  is  the  be- 
ginning of  obedience;  the  habit  teaches  you 
what  you  are  to  obey  and  gives  you  strength  to 
do  it ;  the  purpose  is  the  actual  obedience  in  daily 
round,  the  holding  true  to  what  He  has  told  you. 

Years  ago,  a  young  Jewess,  of  a  wealthy  fam- 
ily, that  stood  high  in  the  Jewry  of  New  York, 
heard  the  call  of  the  despised  Nazarene.  It 
came  to  her  with  great,  gentle  power,  and  she 
decided  that  she  must  follow.  Her  father  was 
very  angry,  and  threatened  disinheritance  if 
she  so  disgraced  the  family.  But  she  remained 
quietly,  gently,  inflexibly,  true  to  her  decision. 
At  last  the  father  planned  a  social  occasion  at 
the  home  to  which  large  numbers  were  invited. 
And  he  said  to  his  daughter,  "  You  must  sing  at 
this  reception,  and  make  this  your  disavowal  of 
the  Christian  faith."  And  she  quietly  said, 
"  Father,  I  will  sing." 

The  evening  came,  the  parlours  were  filled,  the 
time  came  for  her  to  sing,  and  all  listened 
eagerly,  for  they  knew  the  beauty  of  her  voice. 
With  her  heart  in  both  eyes  and  voice,  she  began 
singing : 


Shall  We  Go?  183 

"Jesus,  I  my  cross  have  taken, 
All  to  leave  and  follow  Thee; 
Destitute,  despised,  forsaken, 
Thou,  from  hence,  my  all  shalt  be. 

Perish  every  fond  ambition, 
All  I've  sought,  and  hoped,  and  known: 

Yet  how  rich  is  my  condition ! 
God  and  heaven  are  all  my  own." 

And  she  passed  out  into  the  night  of  disinher- 
itance on  earth,  "  into  an  inheritance  incorrupt- 
ible, and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away." 
This  was  her  decision.  She  had  seen  His  face! 
All  else  paled  in  its  light. 

Shall  we  go,  too? 


FINGER-POSTS 

The  Parable  of  the  Finger-Posts. 

Waiting  is  harder  work  than  working.  It 
takes  more  out  of  you.  And  it  puts  more  into 
you,  too,  of  fine-grained,  steady  strength,  if 
you  can  stand  the  strain  of  it.  And  if,  to  the 
waiting  is  added  perplexity,  the  pull  upon  your 
strength  is  much  greater.  It  is  harder  to  hold 
steady,  and  not  break.  And  if  the  thing  youVe 
put  your  very  life  into  seems  at  stake,  that  taxes 
the  wearing  power  of  your  strength  to  the  ut- 
most. 

Such  a  time,  and  just  such  a  test,  came  to  the 
little  band  of  disciples  after  the  resurrection,  and 
before  the  ascension.  The  story  of  it  is  told  in 
that  added  chapter  of  John's  Gospel.  You  re- 
member that  last  chapter  is  one  of  the  added 
touches.  The  Gospel  is  finished  with  the  finish  of 
the  twentieth  chapter.  Then  John  is  led  by  the 
Spirit,  to  add  something  more.  That  added 
chapter  becomes  to  us  like  an  acted  parable,  the 
parable  of  the  added  touch.  There  is  always 
the  added  touch,  the  extra  touch  of  power,  of 
love,  of  answer  to  prayer.  Our  Lord  has  a  way 
of  giving  more.  The  prayer  itself  is  answered, 
and  then  some  added  touch  is  given  for  full 
184 


Finger-Posts  185 

measure.  So  it  is  in  all  His  dealings,  when  He 
is  allowed  to  have  His  own  way.  He  is  the 
Lord  of  the  added  touch.  He  does  exceeding 
abundantly  above  what  we  ask,  or  think,  or  ex- 
pect. 

These  disciples  were  now  to  have  one  of  these 
added  touches.  It  was  a  time  of  sore  perplex- 
ity. The  crucifixion  had  left  them  dazed, 
stupefied.  It  was  wholly  unexpected.  They 
were  utterly  at  sea,  with  neither  compass,  nor 
steering  apparatus  of  any  sort.  That  Saturday 
to  them  was  one  of  the  longest,  dreariest,  heavi- 
est days  ever  spent  by  any  one.  They  had  all 
proven  untrue  to  their  dead  Friend,  save  one. 

Then  as  unexpectedly  came  the  resurrection. 
They're  dazed  again,  this  time  with  joy.  They 
haven't  taken  it  in  yet.  To  say  that  the  two 
shocks,  each  so  radically  different  from  the  other, 
shook  them  tremendously,  is  stating  it  very 
mildly.  They  don't  know  themselves.  They 
haven't  found  their  feet.  They  haven't  adjusted 
yet  to  their  swiftly  changing  surroundings. 
They  don't  know  what  next.  They  don't  know 
what  to  do. 

So  the  old  impulsive  Simon  in  Peter  proposed 
something.  Simon,  the  unsteady,  was  much  in 
evidence  those  days.  Peter  the  rock-man  hadn't 
arrived  yet.  This  was  Simon  Peter's  specialty, 
proposing  something.  He  said,  "  Well,  I'm  go- 
ing fishing."  And  the  others  quickly  said, 
"  We'll  go  along."  The  mere  doing  something 
would  be  a  relief.    But  they  caught  nothing.    It 


1 86  On  Following  the  Christ 

was  a  poor  night.  The  morning  brought  only- 
heavy  hearts  with  light  nets  and  boats.  They 
had  failed  at  following;  now  they  were  failing 
even  at  their  old  specialty,  fishing.  Couldn't  they 
do  anything? 

In  the  dim  light  of  the  breaking  dawn  there's 
some  One  standing  on  the  beach,  a  Stranger. 
He  seems  interested  in  them,  and  calls  out  fa- 
miliarity, "Have  you  caught  anything?"  And 
you  feel  the  heaviness  of  their  hearts  over  some- 
thing else  in  the  shout  "  No."  And  the  gentle 
voice  calls  out,  with  a  certain  tone  of  quiet  au- 
thority in  it,  "  Throw  over  on  the  right  there, 
and  you'll  get  some  fish."  And  they  cast  the 
nets  out  again,  feeling  a  strong  impulse  to  obey 
this  kindly  Stranger,  without  stopping  to  think 
out  why. 

And  at  once  the  ropes  pull  so  hard  that  it  takes 
all  their  strength  to  hold  them.  It's  John's 
quick  insight  that  recognizes  the  Stranger.  With 
his  heart  in  his  throat,  in  awe-touched  voice,  he 
quietly  says,  "  It's  the  Lord."  That's  enough 
for  Peter.  He  takes  the  shortest  way  to  shore. 
He  has  some  things  to  talk  over  with  the  Master. 
And  as  the  seven  tired  men  landed  the  fish,  they 
found  breakfast  waiting  on  the  sands.  Who 
built  that  fire?  Who  cooked  that  fish?  Who 
was  thinking  about  them  and  caring  for  their 
personal  needs,  when  they  were  so  tired  and 
hungry?  And  when  breakfast  was  finished, 
there's  the  quiet  talk  together,  about  love  and 
service,  while  the  sun  is  climbing  up  in  the  east. 


Finger  Posts  187 

It  is  addressed  to  Peter,  but  it  is  meant,  too, 
for  those  who  were  so  fleet-footed  a  few  nights 
before. 

All  this  was  the  answer  to  their  perplexity. 
They  were  willing  and  waiting  to  follow,  but 
they  had  failed  so  badly.  They  were  not  quite 
sure  where  they  stood.  They  had  no  finger- 
posts. Now  the  finger-posts  were  put  up  to 
show  the  way.  This  fishing  scene  was  an  acted 
parable,  the  Parable  of  the  Finger-posts. 

The  Lineage  of  Service. 

Look  at  these  finger-posts  a  little.  There  was 
the  Lord  Jesus.  They  didn't  recognize  Him. 
But  He  was  there.  He  had  a  plan.  He  took  au- 
thoritative command  of  their  movements.  He 
gave  directions.  They  obeyed  Him.  Then  came 
the  great  haul  of  fish.  Then  came  the  quiet  talk 
about  love'  and  service,  but  with  the  emphasis 
on  love. 

The  love  was  the  chief  thing.  The  service 
was  something  growing  out  of  love.  "  Lovest 
thou  Me  ?  "  Then  thou  mayest  serve,  thou  hast 
the  chiefest  qualification.  Our  Lord  gave  them 
the  lineage  of  service  that  morning.  These  are 
the  generations  of  true  service.  A  sight  of  Jesus 
begets  love,  a  tender,  gentle,  strong,  passionate 
thing  of  rarest  beauty  that  is  immortal,  but  must 
have  the  constant  sight  of  its  father's  face  for 
vigorous  life.  And  love  at  once  begets  obedi- 
ence, which  grows  strong  and  stout  and  skilled, 


1 88  On  Following  the  Christ 

as  long  as  it  stays  in  its  father's  presence.  And 
obedience  begets  service,  untiring,  glad,  patient 
service. 

There  are  some  outsiders  that  have  come  into 
this  family,  but  they  do  not  have  the  fine  traits 
of  blood-kin.  "  Duty "  is  one  of  these.  It 
serves  because  it  must.  And  at  times  it  renders 
fine,  high  service.  But  its  service  comes  out  of 
the  will,  rather  than  out  of  the  heart.  It  is  ruled 
more  by  a  sense  of  propriety,  never  by  a  passion 
of  the  heart. 

"  Privilege  "  is  near  of  kin  to  duty,  and  it  is 
a  high-born,  fine-grained  thing.  It  serves  be- 
cause it  is  an  honour  to  do  so.  It  is  enjoyable  to 
be  so  highly  connected.  But  it  constantly  needs 
proper  recognition  and  appreciation  of  its  work 
and  skill.  But  these  are  really  outsiders.  They 
have  married  in,  and  do  not  have  the  real  family 
traits.  The  one  word,  and  the  only  one,  that 
may  properly  be  used  for  true  service  is  that 
fine  word,  "  passion."  True  service  is  a  thing  of 
love,  a  thing  of  the  heart,  a  flame  that  pervades 
and  permeates  and  envelops  the  whole  life  with- 
in and  without,  a  fire  that  consumes  and  con- 
trols. 

The  Lord  Jesus,  His  presence,  His  plan,  His 
authoritative  leadership,  their  obedience,  love 
thrice  asked  and  given,  service  because  of  love, 
— these  are  the  finger-posts  for  these  perplexed 
men.  They  can  be  put  into  very  simple  shape 
for  our  guidance.  Three  finger-posts  hung  up 
will  include  all  of  then, — clear  vision,  a  spirit 


Finger-Posts  189 

of  obedience,  a  heart  of  tender  love.  These  are 
the  three  great  essentials  of  all  true,  full  follow- 
ing. And  there  will  not  be,  there  cannot  be,  true 
full  following  without  all  three  of  these.  There 
may  be  much  earnest,  honest  service,  much  faith- 
ful plodding,  and  hard  work,  and  much  good 
done.  But  there's  always  less  than  the  best. 
There  is  less  than  should  be.  The  best  results 
are  not  being  got  for  the  effort  expended,  ex- 
cept where  these  three  are  blended. 

A  clear  vision  means  simply  a  clear  under- 
standing of  things  as  they  are,  and  of  what 
needs  to  be  done,  with  all  the  facts  in  that  belong 
in.  A  spirit  of  obedience  means  not  only  an 
obedience  in  spirit,  a  spirited  obedience,  but  an 
obedience  that  fits  into  the  spirit  of  the  Leader 
and  His  plans.  And  through  these  as  a  fine 
fragrance  breathes  a  heart  of  tender  undiscour- 
ageable  love. 

Not  Quite  In  Is  Outside. 

These  three  things  must  be  kept  in  poise.  So 
the  Master  plans.  This  is  the  parable  of  the 
fishing.  There  are  many  illustrations  of  one 
only  of  these,  or  two,  in  action.  And  the  bad 
or  poor  result  that  works  out  can  be  plainly  seen. 
The  Holy  Spirit  with  great  plainness  and  faith- 
fulness has  hung  up  cautionary  signs  along  the 
road. 

There  may  be  clear  vision  without  obedience. 
That  is,  a  clear  understanding  of  the  Master's 


190  On  Following  the  Christ 

plan,  but  a  failure  to  fit  in.     That  will  mean  a    / 
dimming   vision.      And    if   persisted    in,    it    will 
mean  spiritual  disaster.    The  great  illustration  of 
this  is  Judas.    Judas  had  as  clear  a  vision,  in  all 
likelihood,  as  the  others  when  he  was  chosen  for 
discipleship,   and   later   for   apostleship.      There  * 
was  the  possibility  of  a  John  in  Judas,  even  as 
there   was   the  possibility   of   a  Judas   in  John. 
Both   are   in   every   man.      But  Judas   was   not 
true  to  the  vision  he  had.    He  wanted  to  use  the  ' 
Master   to    further   his   own   plans   and   advan- 
tage.      And     the    vision     slowly    blurred     and 
dimmed,  as  the  under  nature  was  given  the  upper 
hand.    The  Master's  clear  insight  recognized  the 
demon  spirit  that  Judas  had  allowed  to  come  in, 
though  Judas  did  not.1    Then  came  the  dastardly 
act  of  betrayal.    And  Judas  has  been  held  up  to  J 
universal  scorn  and  condemnation. 

But  Judas  isn't  so  lonely,  if  you  think  into  the 
thing  a  bit.  He  only  put  personal  advantage 
above  loyalty  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  simply  pre- 
ferred his  own  plans  to  the  Master's  plans.  That 
was  all.  And  he  tried  to  force  his  own  through, 
without  suspecting  how  the  thing  would  turn  out, 
and  how  tremendously  much  was  involved.  The 
great  events  being  worked  out  have  thrown  his 
contemptible  act  into  the  limelight  of  history. 
But  the  act  itself  wasn't  uncommon.  Possibly 
you  may  know  some  one  living  quite  near,  with 
some  of  this  same  sort  of  trait. 

One  of  the  saddest  things  in  the  record  of 

'John  vi.  70. 


Finger-Posts  191 

Christian  leadership  is  just  this,  clear  vision  with 
a  gradually  lessening  obedience,  then  a  gradually 
dimming  vision,  and  that  decrease  of  both  in- 
creasing, as  the  slant  down  increases.  The  old- 
time  motions  in  public  ministering  continue, 
more  or  less  mechanically,  but  the  power  has 
long  since  passed  away.  And  sadder  yet,  like 
the  strong  man  of  old,  these  shorn  men  wist  it 
not.  One's  lips  refuse  to  repeat  the  word 
"  Judas  "  of  them,  even  in  the  inner  thoughts. 
Yet  these  class  themselves  under  the  same  de- 
scription,— clear  vision  without  full  obedience  to 
it ;  personal  plans  and  preferences  put  above  loy- 
alty to  the  Master. 

A  second  illustration  is  that  of  King  Saul. 
Clear  vision,  failure  to  obey,  forcing  himself  to 
wrong  action  to  keep  his  popularity,  rebellion, 
stubbornness, — these  are  the  simple  successive 
steps  in  his  story.  And  the  black  night  falls 
upon  the  utter  spiritual  disaster  of  his  career,  as 
he  lies  prone  on  the  earth  before  the  witch. 

These  two  characters  become  formulas ;  they 
need  only  to  be  filled  in  with  other  names  to 
make  accurate  modern  biography  of  some. 

There  may  be  clear  vision  with  make-believe 
or  partial  obedience.  It  hurts  to  speak  of  such 
a  thing.  The  word  "  hypocrisy  "  is  a  very  hard 
one  to  get  out  at  the  lips.  It  should  never  be 
used  except  to  help,  and  then  very,  very  spar- 
ingly, and  only  in  humblest  spirit,  and  with  ^/ 
earnest,  secret  prayer.  Ananias  and  Sapphira 
quickly  come  to  mind  here.     They  wanted  men 


192  On  Following  the  Christ 

to  think  them  wholly  surrendered,  though  they 
knew  they  were  not.  That  was  all;  not  so  un- 
usual a  thing,  after  all.  There  are  sore  tempta- 
tions here  for  many.  The  swiftness  of  the  pun- 
ishment that  came  does  not  mean  that  their 
wrong  was  worse  than  that  of  others  who  do  the 
same  thing.  That  modern  religious  lying  of  this 
sort  is  not  as  quickly  judged  merely  tells  the 
marvellous  patience  of  God. 

There  may  be  clear  vision  and  obedience  with- 
out love.  This  means  a  hard,  cold,  stern  right- 
eousness. It  is  truth  without  grace.  Nothing 
can  be  made  to  seem  more  repulsive.  One  inci- 
dent in  Elijah's  career  furnishes  the  illustration 
here.  Let  us  say  such  a  thing  very  softly  of 
such  a  mighty  man  of  God,  and  say  it  in  fewest 
words,  and  only  to  help.  He  was  a  man  of  mar- 
vellous faith,  and  prayer,  and  bold  daring,  in  the 
midst  of  a  very  crooked  and  perverse  generation. 
Israel  was  at  its  very  lowest  moral  ebb  thus  far. 

Elijah  had  a  clear  understanding  of  what 
should  be  done  to  check  the  awful  impurity 
which  was  sweeping  over  the  nation  like  a  flood- 
tide.  He  was  true  to  his  conviction  in  sending 
the  four  hundred  priests  of  horribly  licentious 
worship  to  their  death.  But  was  he  broken- 
hearted over  them  ?  Was  he  utterly  broken  down 
with  grief  as  he  led  them  to  the  little  running 
brook  of  Kishon  for  the  nation's  sake?  God 
touched  the  sore  spot,  when,  down  at  Horeb, 
the  mount  of  thunder  and  fire,  He  spoke  to  this 
man  of  fire  and  thunder  in  that  exquisitely  soft 


Finger-Posts  193 

sound  of  gentle  stillness.  This  was  a  new  revela- 
tion of  God  to  this  stern  prophet  of  righteous- 
ness. 

There  may  be  a  sort  of  letter-obedience,  a  ^ 
formal  obedience  to  the  vision  you  have.  In 
one's  own  estimation,  there  may  seem  to  be  a 
knowledge  of  what  is  right,  and  a  self-satisfied 
doing  of  it.  There  may  be  a  painstaking  atten- 
tion to  the  forms  of  obedience,  and  a  self-right- 
eous content  in  doing  the  required  things.  Is 
this  the  underlying  thought  in  Peter's  self-com- 
placent remark,  "  Lo,  we  have  left  all  and  fol- 
lowed Thee.1  We're  so  much  better  than  this 
rich  young  ruler  who  couldn't  stand  the  test  you 

put   to   him.      IV e "/     Poor,   self-confident 

Peter!  When  the  fire  test  did  come,  and  come 
so  hot,  how  his  "  we  "  did  crumble ! 

"Light  Obeyed  Increaseth  Light." 

There  may  be  obedience  without  clear  vision. 
That  is,  there  may  be  a  doing  of  what  is  thought 
to  be  right,  but  without  a  clear  understanding  of 
what  is  the  right  thing  to  do.  This  results  in 
fanaticism.  Moses  killing  the  Egyptian  and 
hiding  his  body  in  the  sand  had  no  clear  vision 
of  God's  plan.  He  knew  something  was  wrong, 
and  that  something  needed  to  be  done.  And  so 
he  proposed  doing  something.  And  the  poor 
Egyptian  who  happened  in  his  way  that  day 
felt  the  weight  of  his  zeal.    It's  a  not  uncommon 

Matthew  xix.  27. 


194  On  Following  the  Christ 

way  of  attempting  to  righten  wrongs.  He  forgot 
that  there  is  a  God,  and  a  plan,  and  that  he  who 
does  not  work  into  the  plan  of  God  is  hitting 
wrong.  There  has  been  a  lot  of  wreckage  scat- 
tered along  this  beach. 

Saul  persecuting  the  Christians  is  another  il- 
lustration here.  He  is  a  sad,  striking  example  of 
conscientiousness  without  sufficient  knowledge, 
of  earnestness  without  clear  light.  He  was  con- 
scientiously doing  the  wrong  thing,  as  earnestly 
as  he  could,  supposing  it  to  be  the  right  thing. 
John  wanted  to  call  down  fire  from  heaven  and 
burn  up  some  people  that  didn't  fit  in  with  their 
plans.1  Earnest  intensity  without  sufficient  light 
has  kindled  a  good  many  fires  of  this  sort. 

Sometimes  this  does  not  go  as  far  as  hurtful 
fanaticism,  but  leads  to  blundering  and  confu- 
sion and  delay.  Abraham  was  acting  without 
clear  light  when  he  yielded  to  Sarah's  plan  of 
compromise  for  getting  an  heir.2  A  bit  of  quiet 
holding  of  her  suggestion  before  God  for  light 
would  have  cleared  his  mind.  The  result  was 
wholly  bad, — a  confusion  in  his  own  mind,  a 
mental  cloudiness  about  God's  plan  and  promise, 
an  element  of  discord  introduced  in  the  tribal  life, 
and  a  delay  of  many  years,  apparently,  before 
the  conditions  were  ripe  for  the  coming  of  thej 
heir  of  faith,  on  God's  own  plan. 

Peter  eating  with  his  Gentile  Christian  broth- 
ers, and  then  refusing  to  eat  with  them,  when 
some  Jewish  Christians  came  down  from  Jerusar 

*Luke  ix.  51-54.  2Genesis  xvi. 


Finger-Posts  195 

lem,  made  very  bitter  feeling  in  the  Church  at 
Antioch,  for  a  time.1  Paul's  clearer  light  helped. 
Time  spent  in  waiting  for  clearer  light  is  always 
time  wisely  spent,  even  though  we  may  seem 
slow. 

There  may  be  love  without  clear  vision.  The 
love  makes  intense  desire  to  do  something,  but 
with  no  clear  idea  of  what  would  best  be  done. 
Peter's  awkward  sword-thrust  was  an  attempt  to 
help,  because  of  real  love  in  his  heart  for  his 
Master,  now  in  personal  danger.  The  Master's 
quiet  healing  touch  recognized  the  love,  and  also 
rebuked  and  corrected  the  hasty,  ill-advised  ac- 
tion. But  there's  worse  yet  here,  mean  contemp- 
tible cowardice.  Peter  actually  denying  his  rela- 
tion with  his  Friend  and  Master,  and  making  his 
denial  seem  more  natural  by  the  addition  of  the 
oaths  that  the  maid  well  knew  no  follower  of  this 
Jesus  could  have  uttered — what  mean  contempti- 
ble cowardice!  But  go  gently  there  in  using 
such  hard  words.  He  was  only  afraid  of  being 
hurt.  He  merely  wanted  to  save  himself.  That 
isn't  such  an  uncommon  thing.  Haven't  you 
sometimes  known  something  of  this  sort — 
among  others? 

The  cowardly  nine,  making  a  new  record  for 
rleet-footedness,  down  the  road,  in  the  dark, 
were  only  doing  the  same  thing  in  more  cow- 
ardly, less-spirited  fashion.  These  men  loved 
Jesus.  No  one  may  doubt  that.  But  there  was 
no  clear  understanding  of  that  night's  doings, 

*Galatians  ii.  11-14. 


196  On  Following  the  Christ 

though  the  Master  had  faithfully  and  plainly- 
tried  to  tell  them.  Fear  for  their  own  safety 
overcame  the  real  love  in  their  hearts  for  the 
Man  they   forsook  that  dark  night. 

Clear  vision  and  love  without  obedience  is — 
impossible!  Where  there  is  no  obedience,  or 
faulty  obedience,  either  the  vision  has  blurred  or 
dimmed,  or  the  love  is  burning  low. 

Clear  vision  and  loving  obedience  mean  power, 
sweet,  gentle,  fragrant,  helpful  power.  It  means 
a  grateful  crowd,  and  a  pleased  Master,  who  has 
been  able  once  again  to  reach  the  crowd. 

Clear  vision  and  love  as  a  passion,  an  intense 
passion,  means  irresistible  power.  That  is  to  say 
it  means  a  perfect  human  medium  through  which 
our  Lord  Jesus  can  act  and  manifest  Himself. 
And  this  is  the  real  meaning  of  power,  power  to 
the  full, — Jesus  Christ  in  free  action.  John,  the 
fisherman,  had  a  gradually  but  steadily  clearing 
vision.  He  did  not  understand  fully.  But  he 
understood  enough  to  know  that  there  was  more 
to  come  which  would  clear  things  up.  He  could 
follow  where  He  did  not  understand.  His  love 
for  the  Man  controlled,  while  his  understanding 
was  clearing.  He  went  in  "  with  Jesus  "  that 
awful  night.  I  imagine  he  never  left  His  side. 
Can  we  ever  be  grateful  enough  that  at  least  one 
of  us  was  true  that  night! 

There  was  the  same  danger  as  with  the  others, 
and  it  was  made  more  acute  by  His  simple,  open 
stand  at  his  Friend's  side.  But  love,  with  at  least 
some  understanding,  held  him  steady.    He  could 


Finger-Poats  197 

understand  that  Jesus  must  be  doing  the  right 
thing,  even  though  he  could  not  understand  the 
run  of  events  that  centred  about  Jesus. 

The  intensity  that  would  call  down  fire, 
changed,  under  the  influence  of  the  changing, 
clearing  vision,  into  an  intensity  of  love.  It  was 
a  mellower,  gentler,  evener,  but  not  less  intense 
flame.  The  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved  became 
the  disciple  of  love.  Love  and  vision  worked 
upon  each  other  from  earliest  times  with  him. 
Love  made  the  vision  clearer,  the  clearing  vision 
made  the  love  stronger,  till  they  worked  together 
into  a  perfect  blend. 

Paul's  unmistakable  vision  on  the  Damascus 
road  brought  a  passion  of  love,  and  an  answering 
obedience,  that  swept  him  like  a  great  flame. 
The  fire-marks  of  that  flame  could  be  found  all 
over  the  Roman  Empire.  He  made  mistakes 
doubtless,  but  these  but  made  the  trend  of  his 
whole  life  "stand  out  the  more.  Paul  was  a 
wonderful  combination  of  brain  and  heart  and 
will,  held  in  remarkable  poise.  The  finest  classic 
on  love  is  from  his  pen.  John  could  love.  Paul 
could  love,  and  could  tell  about  love. 

But  a  peculiar  tenderness  comes  into  one's 
heart  as  we  remember  that  there  was  just  one 
Man  who  held  these  three  in  perfect  poise.  And 
let  us  not  forget  that  though  He  was  more  than 
man,  yet  it  was  a  man,  one  of  ourselves,  who  so 
held  these  three  in  such  fine  balance.  It  was  a 
human  poise,  even  as  planned  by  the  Father  for 
the  human  life.     The  clear  vision  early  began 


198  On  Following  the  Christ 

coming  to  Him,1  and  it  became  clearer  and  fuller 
and  unmistakable  until  it  had  had  its  fulfilment. 
Obedience  was  the  touchstone  of  all  His  life, 
from  Nazareth  to  Olivet.  And  who,  like  Him, 
had  the  heart  of  tender  love,  the  heart  that  was 
ever  moved  with  compassion  at  sight  of  need,  the 
heart  that  broke  at  the  last  under  the  sore  grief 
of  its  burden  of  love? 


'The  Olivet  Vision. 


Shall  we  take  a  moment  more  to  look  at  these 
three  finger-posts  a  little  more  closely?  Just 
what  is  meant  by  a  clear  vision?  I  could  say  at 
once  that  it  means  a  vision  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  And  yet  that  language  has  sometimes 
been  used  in  a  vague  sort  of  way.  And  some 
of  us  have  taken  it  in  a  vague  indefinite  way,  and 
not  thought  into  its  practical  meaning.  Clear 
vision  here  means  an  understanding  of  who 
Christ  Jesus  is,  and  what  He  is,  and  what  plans 
He  has.  Then  it  means  that  that  understanding 
is  so  clear  that  it  becomes  intense,  intense  to 
the  point  of  being  overwhelming.  That  is,  it 
becomes  the  dominant  thing  that  controls  your 
thinking,  and  affections,  and  actions, — your  life. 

I  think  I  may  say  correctly  that  the  place  for 
getting  such  a  clear,  full  vision  of  Christ  Jesus  is 
Olivet.  Olivet  is  a  good  place  to  pitch  your  tent 
for  a  little  while,  until  your  vision  clears.  Then 
you'll  not  stay  there,  though  you  may  return  to 

^uke  ii.  49. 


Finger-Posts  199 

keep  the  lines  of  your  vision  clear  and  clean ;  you 
will  be  down  in  the  valleys  with  the  crowds. 

One  day  the  Master  led  His  disciples  out  to 
the  Mount  of  Olives.  It  was  the  last  time  they 
were  together.  And  the  group  of  men  stand 
there  talking,  the  eleven  grouped  about  the  One. 
He  is  talking  with  them  quietly  and  earnestly. 
Then,  to  their  utter  amazement,  His  feet  are  off 
the  ground,  He  is  rising  upward  in  the  air,  then 
higher,  and  higher,  until  a  bit  of  cloud  moves 
across,  and  they  see  Him  no  more.  This  is  all 
you  would  see  at  a  distance. 

But  let  us  come  a  bit  nearer,  and  stand  with 
them,  and  listen,  and  watch.  Olivet  is  the  last 
bit  of  earth  to  feel  the  presence  of  the  Master's 
feet.  Off  yonder  to  the  west,  down  in  the  val- 
ley, you  see  a  clump  of  trees ;  that  is  Gethsemane, 
the  place  of  the  bloody  sweat  and  the  tense 
agony  of  spirit.  Across  the  valley,  still  looking 
west,  lies  -the  city,  outside  whose  wall  is  the 
little  knoll  called  Calvary,  where  Jesus  gave 
His  life  out.  Over  here  to  the  east  and  south  lies 
little  Bethany,  which  speaks  of  His  resurrection 
power.  And  a  bit  farther  off  are  the  bare  wilds 
sloping  down, — that  is  the  place  of  the  sore 
temptation.  Far  away  to  the  north,  up  in  the 
clouds,  lies  the  snow-clad  mountain,  beyond  your 
outer  vision,  yet  coming  now  to  your  inner  vision, 
where  the  God  within  shined  out  through  the 
Man. 

But  while  a  quick  glance  takes  all  this  in,  your 
eyes  are  caught  and  held  by  the  Man  in  the 


200  On  Following  the  Christ 

midst.  His  presence  embodies  and  intensifies 
all  that  these  places  suggest.  His  face  bears  the 
impress  of  the  Wilderness,  and  of  the  Garden. 
The  scars  plainly  there  tell  of  Calvary,  as  no 
piece  of  geography  ever  can.  His  mere  presence 
tells  unmistakably  of  the  resurrection.  And  you 
know  who  He  is,  and  what.  He  made  the  world 
and  breathed  His  breath  of  life  into  man's  nos- 
trils. Later  He  came  in  amongst  us  as  one  of 
ourselves.  He  was  tempted  like  as  we,  suffered 
like  as  we  never  suffered,  gave  His  life  for  us, 
went  down  into  death,  rose  up  again  out  of  death. 
This  is  the  Jesus  of  Olivet. 

But  the  action  of  His  face  and  pose  are  part  of 
the  sight.  His  eyes  are  looking  outward.  The 
set  of  His  face  is  out.  His  hands  point  out. 
And  He  is  talking;  listen:  He  is  talking  about  a 
"  zvorld."  And  the  outward  turn  of  face  and 
eyes  and  pointing  hand  become  the  emphasis  of 
that  word,  "world."  He  died  for  a  world.  He 
is  thinking  about  a  world.  He  has  a  plan  of 
action  for  a  world. 

But  another  word  gets  your  ear — "ye"  He 
is  thinking  about  these  disciples,  about  His  fol- 
lowers. He  has  a  plan  of  action  for  them.  And 
these  two  plans,  for  the  world,  for  their  lives, 
these  two  are  tied  up  together.  And  a  third 
word  stands  out — "I"  "I  am  with  you,  I  am 
in  command."  And  now  three  things  stand 
out  together,  a  world-plan,  a  plan  for  the  follow- 
er's life  fitting  into  the  world-plan,  and  in  the 
midst — Jesus,  the  Christ,  my  Saviour,  my  Lord. 


Finger-Posts  201 

This  is  the  Olivet  vision.  This,  the  clear,  full 
vision:  of  Jesus,  crucified,  risen,  empowered;  of 
His  world-plan;  of  His  plan  for  my  life  as  part 
of  the  world-plan. 

Olivet  faces  four  ways.  Backward,  it  points 
to  the  sympathy,  the  humanness,  the  suffering, 
the  cross,  of  Jesus.  Upward,  it  looks  to  Him- 
self, now  sitting  above  the  clouds  at  the  Father's 
right  hand,  "  far  above  all  rule,  and  authority, 
and  power,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is 
named,"  with  "  all  things  in  subjection  under  His 
feet."  Outward,  it  reaches  to  the  world  He  died 
for,  and  plans  for,  and  is  still  brooding  over 
with  more  than  a  mother's  love.  Forward,  it  an- 
ticipates eagerly  the  time  when  He  will  come 
back  to  finish  up  what  He  began,  and  we  are  to 
continue.  When  He  returns  it  will  be  to  this 
same  Olivet.1  He  picks  up  the  line  of  action 
exactly  where  He  left  it.  Olivet  is  to  know  a 
second  pressure  of  those  feet. 

This  is  the  clear,  full  vision,  the  three-fold 
vision  we  need  and  must  have  for  true  following: 
Himself,  His  world-plan,  His  plan  for  each  one's 
life.  This  means  seeing  things  as  they  are. 
They  fall  into  true  perspective.  You  see  how 
disproportioned  and  grotesque  the  common  per- 
spective of  earth  is.  You  see  things  through 
His  eyes.  His  eyes  take  out  of  yours  the  per- 
sonal colouring,  the  colour  blindness  of  personal 
interest  and  advantage  which  so  strangely  and 
strongly  affect  all  our  sight. 

^echariah  xiv.  4. 


202  On  Following  the  Christ 

We  need  frequent  visits  to  Olivet's  top,  until 
constant  looking  at  its  outlooking  landscape,  at 
Himself,  fills  and  floods  our  eyes.  We  need  the 
quiet  time  alone  with  Himself  and  His  Word, 
and  some  map-picture  of  His  world,  as  a  habit, 
until  these,  Himself,  and  His  word,  and  His 
world,  are  burned  into  eyes  and  heart,  until  they 
fire  as  a  sweet  fever  the  whole  life. 


The  Spirit  of  Obedience. 

Out  of  the  vision  comes  the  spirit  of  obedi- 
ence. We  have  spoken  of  the  act  of  obedience, 
and  the  habit  of  obedience,  but  deeper  down  is 
the  spirit  of  obedience,  which  lies  under  act  and 
habit.  I  have  used  the  words,  "  spirit  of  obedi- 
ence," rather  than  simply  the  word,  "  obedience," 
because  obedience  sometimes  stands  for  a  bond- 
age to  rules,  a  slavery  to  things.  The  obedience 
itself  must  be  deeper  than  rule  or  outward  thing. 
The  spirit  of  obedience  sees  into  the  spirit  of  the 
rule,  and  through  the  outward  thing,  and  floods 
it  with  a  new  spirit  of  life.  This  spirit  of  obedi- 
ence is  the  one  finger-post  found  oftenest  along 
this  road.  So  only  can  we  be  true  to  the  vision. 
And  obedience  itself  is  not  true  obedience,  nor 
true  to  the  vision,  save  as  it  is  a  love-obedience. 
Real  obedience  breathes  in  the  spirit  of  the  One 
being  obeyed.  It  breathes  out  the  love-spirit  of 
him  who  obeys. 

The  touchstone  of  the  "  Follow  Me  "  life  is 
not  need,  nor  service,  nor  sacrifice.     The  need 


Finger-Posts  203 

is  felt  to  the  paining  point.  The  service  is  given 
joyously  to  the  limit  of  strength.  The  sacrifice 
is  yielded  to  to  the  bleeding  point.  But  these  all 
come  as  they  come,  through  and  out  of  obedience. 
Yet  need  is  the  controlling  thing,  too,  but  not  the 
need  as  ufe  see  it,  but  as  He  sees  it,  who  sees 
all,  and  feels  most  deeply.  The  need  is  best  met, 
the  service  best  given,  the  sacrifice  most  healing 
in  its  power,  as  each  grows  out  of  obedience. 

The  standard  of  obedience  is  three-fold,  the 
Word  of  God,  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  one's  own 
judgment  and  spirit-insight.  These  three  are 
meant  to  fit  together.  This  is  the  natural  result 
when  things  are,  even  measurably,  as  they  should 
be.  When  God  is  allowed  to  sway  the  life  as  He 
wishes,  these  three  fit  and  blend  perfectly.  The 
Word  of  God  taken  alone  will  lead  to  supersti- 
tious regard  for  a  book  and  to  a  cramped  judg- 
ment and  action.  To  say  that  we  are  guided  by 
the  Spirit,  without  due  regard  for  the  Book  He 
has  been  the  principal  one  in  writing,  leads  to 
fanaticism,  or  at  least  to  ill-advised,  unbalanced, 
unnatural  opinions  and  action. 

Naturally  one's  own  judgment  and  spirit- 
insight  play  a  large  part,  for  they  make  the  per- 
sonal decision,  they  interpret  both  Word  and 
Spirit  to  us.  It  is  through  one's  judgment  and 
spirit-insight  that  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the 
Word  influence  the  decision  and  action.  The 
great  essential  is  the  habitual,  quiet,  broad, 
thoughtful  study  of  God's  Word,  with  the  will 
and  life  utterly  yielded  to  the  Holy  Spirit.     So 


204  On  Following  the  Christ 

one's  spirit  is  trained  to  understand,  and  one's 
judgment  to  form  its  conclusions.  The  Holy 
Spirit  makes  us  understand  God's  purpose  as  re- 
vealed in  His  Word,  and  fits  this  into  the  need 
of  practical  life.  Obedience,  intelligent  and  full, 
depends  upon  the  quiet  time  alone  with  God  over 
His  Word. 

I  want  to  add  something  more  here.  It  is 
something  startling.  There  are  no  break-downs 
in  the*path  of  obedience.  I  say  that  very  softly, 
as  a  guilty  sinner  in  the  matter  of  break-downs. 
I  remember  that  the  record  of  Christian  service 
is  like  one  continuous  record  of  break-downs, 
broken  bodies,  wrecked  nerves,  sometimes 
wrecked  minds.  And  I  am  not  saying  it  to  criti- 
cize any  one,  except  it  be  myself.  Out  of  a  long 
pergonal  experience  of  constant  going,  unwise 
overwork,  and  serious  break-downs,  I  am  but 
confessing  my  own  sins,  when  I  say  there  are  no 
break-downs  in  the  path  of  obedience.  Does  that 
mean  that  there  is  much  earnest  service  that  we 
have  not  been  told  to  do?  And  the  answer 
must  be  a  very  gentle,  but  very  clear,  "  Yes." 

But  the  Man  in  command  has  perfect  knowl- 
edge of  what  you  can  do.  And  He  never  asks 
you  to  do  anything  beyond  your  strength.  Or, 
if  He  does  need  you  to  meet  some  emergency 
beyond  your  strength,  He  gives  the  strength  re- 
quired. He  sends  in  a  fresh  supply  of  resurrec- 
tion life  to  repair  the  waste  of  your  body,  and 
then,  too,  He  calls  into  use  strength,  resources, 
talents,  that  you  have  not  known  you  had.    Now 


Finger-Posts  205 

I  know  that  if  this  be  taken  seriously,  it  will 
lead  some  to  a  heart-searching  time  alone  with 
the  Master.  I  am  sure  that  if  obedience  alone  is 
to  be  the  key-note,  it  will  mean  many  a  readjust- 
ment. And  it  will  mean,  too,  a  new  flood  stream 
of  power  flowing  through  and  out  as  the  connect- 
ing parts  are  re-adjusted. 

There's  a  helpful  literal  reading  of  a  verse  in 
Hebrews.1  "  Now  the  God  of  peace,  who 
brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  the 
great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  with  the  blood  of  an 
eternal  covenant,  put  you  in  joint  [with  Himself] 
to  do  His  will  in  every  good  work,  working  in 
you  [or  through  you]  that  which  is  well-pleasing  , 
in  His  sight."  Obedience  puts  us  in  joint  with" 
Him,  if  we  are  out.  It  keeps  us  in  joint;  then 
the  power  flows  from  Him,  through  that  joint, 
out  where  our  life  touches. 

Obedience  is  really  a  music  word.  It  is  the 
rhythmic  swinging  together  of  two  wills,  His 
and  ours.  Rhythm  of  action  is  power.  Rhythm 
of  colour  is  beauty.  Rhythm  of  sound  is  music. 
But  it's  really  all  music.  For  power  is  music  of 
action.  Beauty  is  music  to  the  eye.  Rhythmic 
sound  is  music  to  the  ear  and  heart.  If  there 
might  be  more  of  this  music,  He  and  we  in 
perfect  accord,  how  the  crowds  would  be  caught 
by  its  melody  and  come  eagerly  to  listen. 

1Hebrews  xiii.  20,  21. 


206  On  Following  the  Christ 

The  Heart  of  Love. 

And  out  of  the  vision  comes  the  heart  of  love. 
The  sight  of  the  Lord  Jesus'  face  begets  love; 
and  love  begets  obedience.  But  obedience  never 
can  keep  true  away  from  its  father.  It  is  never 
true  full  obedience  except  it  have  the  throbbing 
heart  of  love  in  it.  This  is  the  unfailing  mark. 
It's  so  easy  to  fail  here.  Yet  "  love  never  fail- 
em."  The  classical  Thirteenth  of  First  Corinthi- 
ans becomes  an  indictment.  We  know  it  better 
in  the  Book  than  in  life.  "  Love  suffereth  long, 
.  .  .  envieth  not  ...  is  not  puffed  up; 
doth  not  behave  itself  unbecomingly  or  inconsist- 
ently, seeketh  not  even  its  own,  is  not  provoked." 
Love  "  beareth  "  with  "  all  things  "  in  the  one 
loved,  which  it  would  gladly  have  different,  "  be- 
lieveth  all "  possibly  good  "  things "  of  him, 
"  hopeth  "  for  "  all  "  desirable  "  things  "  in  him, 
"  endureth  all  things  "  in  him  that  hurt  and  pain. 
"  Love  never  faileth."  In  conversation  one  day 
with  an  unusually  earnest  worker  in  the  Orient, 
we  were  talking  of  these  things.  His  work  was 
beset  by  many  sore  perplexities.  "  Ah,"  he  said, 
"  there  is  where  I  have  failed.  I  have  not  had 
the  heart  of  love."  And  I  thought  how  many  of 
us  could  say  the  same  thing. 

There  are  in  the  Bible  three  great  illustrations 
of  the  heart  of  love.  As  Moses  came  down  from 
the  presence  of  God,  and  found  the  people  danc- 
ing about  the  golden  calf,  he  was  hotly  indignant. 
But  as  he  goes  back  to  plead  with  God,  the  great- 


Finger-Posts  207 

ness  of  his  love  and  grief  comes  out.  In  God's 
presence  their  sin  is  seen  to  be  so  much  greater. 
He  cries,  "  Oh,  this  people  have  sinned  a  great 
sin,  and  have  made  them  gods  of  gold.    Yet  now 

if  Thou  wilt  forgive  their  sin "    And  a  great 

sob  breaks  the  sentence  abruptly  off,  and  it  is 
never  finished.  The  possibility  seems  to  come  to 
his  mind,  in  this  holy  presence,  that  such  sin,  by 
these  so  greatly  blest,  could  not  be  forgiven. 
And  that  seems  to  him  unbearable.  "  And  if 
not,"  if  it  cannot  be  forgiven,  "  blot  me,  I  pray 
Thee,  out  of  Thy  Book;  but  don't  blot  them 
out."  * 

In  the  beginning  of  the  great  Jew  section  of 
Romans,  Paul  is  speaking  of  the  intense  pain 
of  heart  he  had  over  the  unbelief  and  stubborn- 
ness  of  his  racial  kinsfolk.  He  says,  "  I  have 
great  sorrow  and  unceasing  pain  in  my  heart. 
For  I  could  wish  that  I  myself  were  accursed 
from  Christ  for  my  brethren's  sake,  my  kins- 
men," that  so  they  might  not  be  accursed.2  ^ 
Yet  neither  Moses  nor  Paul  could  so  sacrifice 
himself  for  another's  sin.  "  No  man  can  by  any 
means  redeem  his  brother,  nor  give  to  God  a  ran- 
som for  him."  3  But  Jesus,  the  pure,  sinless  one, 
was  blotted  out.  He  was  made  a  curse.  Moses 
and  Paul  would  if  they  could.  Jesus  both  could 
and  did.  Was  there  ever  such  a  heart  of  love! 
And  that  heart  was  greatest  in  its  action  of  love 
when  it  broke. 

Exodus  xxxii.  31,  32.  sRomans  ix.  1-3. 

8  Psalm  xlix.  7. 


208  On  Following  the  Christ 

A  simple  story  has  come  to  me,  I  cannot  re- 
member where,  of  a  woman  in  southern  China 
in  the  province  of  Kwangtung.  She  had  a  seri- 
ous illness  and  was  taken  to  a  mission  hospital 
in  Canton  for  treatment.  There  for  the  first 
time  she  heard  of  Christ,  of  His  love  and  death. 
And  that  story  coming  so  new  and  fresh  trans- 
formed her,  as  she  opened  her  heart  to  the 
Saviour.  And  a  great  peace  came  into  her  heart, 
and  showed  plainly  in  her  face.  Then  her 
thought  began  turning  to  her  own  village.  Not 
a  soul  there  knew  of  this  wondrous  Saviour.  If 
they  but  knew.  But  what  could  she  do,  her  ill- 
ness was  very  serious. 

The  next  time  the  physician  came  by  she 
asked  him  how  long  she  would  live  if  she  stayed 
there.  He  said  that  he  did  not  know,  but  he 
thought  about  six  months.  And  how  long  if  she 
left  the  hospital  and  returned  home.  He  didn't 
know;  maybe  three  months.  And  after  he  had 
gone  she  quietly  announced  that  she  was  going 
home.  And  those  about  her  were  greatly  as- 
tonished. "  Why,"  they  said,  "  you'll  lose  half 
your  life !  "  And  the  tears  came  into  her  eyes, 
as  a  gentle  smile  overspread  her  poor  worn  face, 
and  she  simply  said,  "  Jesus  gave  His  whole 
life  for  me;  don't  you  think  I'm  glad  to  give 
half  mine  for  Him  ?  "  I  don't  know  how  long  she 
lived.  The  story  didn't  say,  but  it  did  tell  that 
most  of  the  people  in  her  village  knew  a  long 
life,  even  an  everlasting  life,  because  of  her  sim- 
ple telling  of  the  Gospel  story. 


Finger-Posts  209 

There  were  the  three  essentials,  though  never 
so  thought  of  or  analyzed  by  her.  She  had  the 
vision  of  Jesus  Christ  her  Saviour,  then  of  those  ■" 
who  had  never  heard  of  Him,  and  then  of  her  *-* 
own  part  in  the  plan  of  telling  them.  The  im- 
pulse to  tell  them  was  obeyed  gladly.  And  the 
heart  of  love  counted  not  her  life  dear  unto 
herself  if  only  others  might  be  told  of  this 
wondrous  Christ  Jesus. 


FELLOW-FOLLOWERS 

God's  Problem. 

God  needs  men.  That  is  the  tremendous  fact 
that  stands  out  in  every  generation.  There  never 
has  been  a  corner  since  Adam  walked  out  of 
Eden  where  that  need  was  not  thrust  into  some 
man's  face,  and  thrust  into  God's  face.  It  is 
being  thrust  into  our  faces  to-day  as  ever  before, 
and  as  never  before.  For  the  ends  of  the  earth 
are  come  upon  us,  for  the  helping  touch  of  our 
hands,  or  for  the  drag-back  to  be  overcome  by 
some  one's  else  helping  touch. 

God  is  a  needy  God.  That  fact  is  spelled  out 
by  every  page  of  this  old  Book  of  His.  And  it  is 
spelling  itself  out  anew  by  the  book  of  the  life 
of  the  race  whose  current  chapter  is  being  writ- 
ten by  our  generation.  God's  wonderful  plan  for 
man  lies  at  the  root  of  His  need.  In  His  great 
graciousness  He  made  us  in  His  own  image. 
That  is,  He  gave  to  us  the  right  of  full  free 
choice.  He  has  never  infringed  upon  that  image, 
that  right  of  choice,  by  so  much  as  a  whispered 
breath  or  the  moving  of  a  hair.  He  gave  man 
the  sovereignty  of  the  earth  and  its  life.  And 
every  move  God  has  made  among  men  on  earth 
has  been  through  a  man,  and  through  his  free 
consent. 

2IO 


Fellow- Followers  211 

The  tragedy  of  sin  has  intensified  God's  need 
tremendously.  It  has  intensified  everything, 
man's  misunderstanding  and  hatred  of  God,  the 
love  of  God's  heart  for  man,  and  the  distance  be- 
tween the  two.  It  is  constantly  intensifying 
pain,  sorrow,  man's  need,  and  the  blight  upon 
nature.  It  increases  God's  difficulty  in  working 
out  His  will  of  love  for  man.  For  it  makes  it 
increasingly  hard  to  get  even  Christian  men  to 
see  things  through  God's  eyes,  and  gladly  give 
themselves  up  to  His  purposes. 

Poor  God!  Such  a  needy  God!  Rich  in 
power,  in  character,  in  the  loving  worship  of  the 
upper  world,  in  His  love  for  all,  rich  beyond 
power  of  human  calculation;  so  poor  in  the  re- 
sponse of  men  to  the  wooing  of  His  heart.  So 
poor  in  the  glad,  intelligent  co-operation  of 
those  who  trust  Him  for  salvation  in  the  next 
world,  but  are  content  with  very  little  of  it  in 
this.  So  needy  in  the  lack  of  those  who  bring 
love  and  life,  intellect  and  wealth,  and  lay  all 
at  His  feet. 

This  has  been  God's  problem,  to  respect  the 
rights  He  has  given  man,  and  yet  work  through 
him  in  carrying  out  His  great  plan  of  love.  This 
is  the  warp  into  which  the  whole  of  the  Bible 
fabric  is  woven — the  tragedy  of  sin,  of  sin-hurt, 
sin-stubborned  men,  the  patience  of  God  in  woo- 
ing men  back,  and  His  exquisite  tact  and  unlim- 
ited patience  is  always  working  through  men's 
consent,  and  through  human  channels. 

To-day  He  comes  to  you  and  me,  pleadingly 


212  On  Following  the  Christ 

asking  us  to  help  Him  in  His  passionate  plan 
for  His  race.  Some  few  have  the  gift  of  leader- 
ship. Most  of  us  are  moulded  to  follow.  He 
needs  both  leader  and  follower.  He  needs  the 
life.  He  needs  the  love.  Through  these,  whether 
in  prominent  place  or  shadowed,  in  leadership 
or  in  following  along  some  well-beaten  path, 
through  these — the  life,  the  love,  He  works  in 
His  great  simple  plan  for  overcoming  the  trag- 
edy of  sin.  That  plan  includes  the  whole  race. 
God  has  no  favourites  among  the  nations.  When 
the  hour  is  ripe  for  an  advance  step,  a  man  is 
found  ripened  for  leadership.  This  is  the  real 
final  explanation  of  certain  great  leaders.  It  was 
not  the  man  himself  alone,  but  the  coming  to- 
gether of  the  time,  the  man,  and  the  plan;  the 
time  for  an  advance  step,  the  man  who  had 
yielded  to  God  up  to  the  ripening  point,  the  plan 
of  God.  And  the  decisive  thing  was  the  plan 
of  God. 

President  Finney  used  to  insist  very  earnestly 
that  revivals  followed  a  fixed  law  of  action. 
When  men  would  with  all  their  hearts  fit  into  the 
great  laws  of  grace,  there  would  follow  the 
gracious  revival  results  even  as  effect  follows 
cause  in  nature ;  and  without  question  he  was 
wholly  right.  In  addition  to  this,  however,  there 
is  a  further  fact  to  note,  of  which  Finney  him- 
self was  a  striking  illustration.  In  God's  broader 
plans  for  the  race  when  the  time  is  ripe  for  an 
advance  step,  He  has  some  man  in  training  for 
leadership  in  that  hour,  and  so  ripeness  of  time 


Fellow-Followers  213 

and  of  man  and  of  plan  come  together.  But  the 
chief  factor  at  work  is  God  Himself. 

This,  and  only  this,  explains  fully  certain 
great  religious  movements  and  leaders.  Such 
men  in  later  centuries  as  Luther  in  Germany, 
Zwingli  in  Switzerland,  Calvin  in  France  and 
Switzerland,  Wesley  and  Whitefield  in  England, 
and  Finney  in  both  America  and  England.  Only 
this  can  satisfactorily  explain  Moody's  unusual 
career.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  native  parts, 
of  marked  individuality,  and  of  utter  surrender 
to  God.  And  this  combination  would  have 
brought  great  results  under  any  circumstances, 
but  it  does  not  explain  the  great  move- 
ment in  which  he  was  the  leader.  It  was 
God's  hour  for  an  advance  movement,  the  man 
so  untrained  in  men's  schools,  was  slowly  made 
ready  in  God's  school,  and  man  and  hour  and 
plan  fitted  together.  But  the  chief  emphasis  re- 
mains on  the  fact  that  it  was  the  time  in  God's 
gracious  plan  for  an  advance.  And  the  nations 
of  the  earth  have  been  feeling  the  blessed  im- 
pulse of  that  advance  ever  since. 

But  the  leaders  are  few ;  and  what  could  they 
do  without  the  great  mass  of  followers?  God 
needs  the  faithful  ones,  unknown  by  name,  hid- 
den away  in  quiet  corners,  each  the  centre  of  a 
group  which  is  touching  a  larger  group,  and  so 
on,  ever  widening.  Everything  turns  on  this, — 
letting  God  have  the  full  use  of  us;  living  as 
though  God  were  the  realest  thing  in  this  matter- 
of-fact,  every-day  world;  going  on  the  supposi- 


214  On  Following  the  Christ 

tion  that  the  Bible  is  indeed  His  Word,  and  is 
a  workable  book  for  daily  problems  and  needs, 
the  one  workable  book ;  making  everything  bend 
toward  getting  His  will  done.  When  we  get 
up  into  His  presence,  this  will  be  found  to  have 
been  the  one  thing  worth  while.  When  the  race 
story  has  been  all  told,  the  biography  of  earth 
brought  to  its  last  page,  this  will  be  the  one  thing 
that  will  stand  out,  and  remain,  that  we  let  Him 
use  us  just  as  He  would,  and  that  we  have 
brought  everything  at  our  disposal  to  bear  on 
doing  His  will  of  love. 

He  comes  to  you  and  me  afresh  to-day  with 
His  old-time  winsome  patience,  asking  the  use 
of  us.  He  always  thinks  of  us  in  two  ways,  for 
our  own  sakes  and  for  our  help  in  reaching  the 
others.  Followers  are  messengers.  Some  are 
special  messengers  in  speech.  But  all  are  mes- 
sengers in  their  lives;  that  is,  they  are  meant  to 
be.  This  is  our  Lord's  plan.  He  wants  us  to 
live  the  message. 

That  old  word  "  witness  "  has  grown  to  mean 
three  things,  that  you  knozv  something,  that  you 
tell  it,  and  that  you  tell  it  with  your  life.  Every 
time  the  word  witness  is  used  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment it  stands  for  some  form  of  the  word 
underneath  from  which  our  English  word  "  mar- 
tyr "  comes.  We  have  come  to  associate  that 
word  "  martyr  "  with  the  idea  of  giving  one's  life 
in  a  violent  way  for  the  truth  believed.  This  is 
the  meaning  that  has  grown  into  the  word. 
But  the  practical  meaning  of  this  martyr-witness 


Fellow-Followers  215 

word  goes  a  bit  deeper  yet  than  this.  It  is  not 
merely  giving  the  life  out  in  the  crisis  of  dying, 
but  that  the  whole  life  is  being  given  out  in  a 
continual  martyrdom,  that  is,  a  continual  wit- 
nessing. These  words,  follower,  messenger,  wit- 
ness, run  together.  In  following  we  are  wit- 
nesses. We  know  something  about  this  Man  who 
goes  before,  a  blessed  something  that  has  entered 
into  the  marrow  and  joints  of  one's  being.  We 
tell  it.  We  tell  it  chiefly  by  living  it.  We  are 
messengers.  The  whole  life  is  a  message  of 
what  Christ  Jesus  has  done  for  us,  and  is  to  us. 

A  Confession  of  Faith  in  Wood  and  Nails. 

Now,  this  is  the  thing — this  living  it — that 
God  has  always  counted  on  most.  There  are  in 
the  Bible  most  striking  illustrations  of  lived  or 
acted  messages.  One  man  actually  preached  a 
sermon  nearly  fifteen  months  long  merely  by  the 
position  of  his  body.  You  would  call  that  a  long 
sermon,  but  it  had  the  desired  result,  at  least 
partly.  The  man  got  the  ears  of  the  people. 
They  were  hardened  sermon  listeners.  The 
talked  sermons  had  no  effect.  So  they  were 
given  an  acted  sermon. 

I  think  it  may  help  to  look  at  a  few  of  the  old- 
time  followers.  The  one  chief  thing  that  marked 
these  men  was  that  they  lived  the  messages. 
They  experienced  the  truth  they  stood  for,  some- 
times to  the  extent  of  much  suffering.  This  ex- 
perience became  part  of  the  man's  life.    And  this 


2i6  On  Following  the  Christ 

it  was  that  God  used  as  His  message.  You  can- 
not be  a  follower  fully  without  the  thing  taking 
your  very  life,  and  taking  it  to  the  feeling,  deep- 
feeling,  point. 

One  of  the  earliest  of  these  followers  was 
Enoch.  His  brief  story  is  like  the  first  crocus  of 
spring  coming  up  through  the  cold  snow,  like  a 
pretty  flower  growing  up  out  of  the  thin  crack 
of  earth  between  great  stones.  There  was  such 
a  contrast  with  the  surroundings.  It  is  in  the 
Fifth  of  Genesis,  one  of  the  most  tiresome  chap- 
ters in  the  whole  Bible.  Its  tiresome  monotony  is 
an  evidence  of  its  inspiration ;  for  it  is  a  picture 
of  life  with  God  left  out.  There  are  five  chap- 
ters in  Enoch's  biography.  He  was  born;  with 
that  he  had  nothing  to  do.  Like  his  lineal  de- 
scendants and  his  neighbours  he  just  "lived" 
for  a  while,  went  through  the  usual  physical  and 
mental  and  social  motions  of  life,  no  more.  Then 
a  babe  came  into  his  household,  a  fresh  act  of 
God,  a  fresh  call  of  God,  one  of  God's  loudest 
calls.  This  was  the  turning  point.  He  must 
have  heard  and  answered  that  call,  for  a  new  life 
began.  He  "  walked  with  God."  This  became 
his  chief  trait.  It  stands  in  contrast  with  his 
former  life.  Before  he  merely  lived;  now  he  was 
on  a  higher  plane,  he  walked  with  God.  The 
final  chapter, — "  God  took  him."  They  two  had 
a  long  walk  one  day  along  the  hilltops — or  was 
it  only  a  short  walk? — and  Enoch  never  came 
back.     God  kept  him. 

Now,  in  all  this  Enoch  was  God's  messenger 


Fellow-Followers  217 

to  the  whole  race.  Jude  speaks  of  his  prophesy- 
ing or  preaching.  But  the  emphasis  of  this 
simple  Genesis  biography  is  not  on  his  preaching 
but  on  himself.  That  man  walking  about  in  his 
simple  daily  touch  of  heart  with  God, — that  was 
the  message.  It  wasn't  an  easy  thing  to  do. 
The  whole  set  of  his  time  was  against  it.  It 
was  an  evil  time ;  impurity  and  violence  were  its 
outstanding  traits.  Enoch's  life  cut  straight 
across  the  grain  of  his  time.  He  was  the  leader 
of  the  first  racial  family,  the  chief  one  in  the 
direct  line  from  Adam.  And  he  insisted  on  liv- 
ing habitually  a  simple,  holy,  pure  life,  walking 
with  God,  never  out  of  touch.  Following  meant 
keeping  in  step  with  God,  never  missing  step. 

And  this  was  talked  about.  Every  one  knew 
it.  He  was  doubtless  felt  to  be  out  of  touch  with 
his  time.  And  he  was,  blessedly  out  of  touch.  It 
was  probably  never  harder  to  walk  with  God. 
But  he  did  ft.  This  is  how  he  helped  God.  This 
is  what  he  was  asked  to  do.  God  was  speaking 
to  the  whole  race  through  this  great  man's  simple 
habit  of  life.  And  He  spoke  still  louder  when, 
one  day,  He  took  him  away.  Enoch's  absence 
was  the  talk  of  the  race.  "  He  was  not  found!' 
Clearly  they  looked  for  him,  looked  everywhere 
and  discussed  him  and  his  peculiar  manner  of 
life,  his  strange  disappearance,  and  his  freedom 
from  death. 

So  he  met  God's  need.  He  became  God's  me- 
dium of  communication  to  the  entire  race,  simply 
in  what  he  was,  and  so  it  is  that  most  of  us  may 


2 1 8  On  Following  the  Christ 

help  God.  And  if  we  will,  He  will  be  less 
needy,  for  He  will  speak  through  our  lives  to 
all  whom  we  touch.  Following  means  walking 
with  God.    So  we  help  God  in  His  need. 

And  Enoch  helped  God  to  get  Noah.  The 
touch  of  Enoch  is  on  his  great-grandson.  Grace 
is  hereditary,  when  there's  enough  of  it.  Enoch 
had  the  boldness  to  set  a  new  standard.  It  was 
easier  for  Noah  to  reach  up  toward  it,  when  it 
was  already  set.  Now,  Noah  was  asked  to  do 
something  more.  Enoch  walked  with  God,  the 
personal  life  was  the  one  thing.  Noah  walked 
with  God,  and  did  something  more. 

He  was  asked  to  believe  something  unusual.  It 
was  something  that  could  be  believed  only  by  ac- 
cepting God's  word  against  every  other  circum- 
stance and  probability;  that  is,  that  a  flood  was 
coming  to  cover  the  whole  earth,  and  destroy  the 
race.  And  he  was  asked  further  to  put  his 
belief  into  the  shape  of  an  immense  house-boat 
probably  built  where  it  wouldn't  float  except  such 
a  flood  did  come.  That  huge  boat  was  his  con- 
fession of  faith.  He  acted  his  faith.  It  would 
be  a  costly  thing,  perhaps  taking  all  Noah's 
wealth,  and  taking  some  years  to  build.  That 
belief  was  about  the  unlikeliest  thing  imaginable 
from  every  natural  standpoint,  with  God  left  out. 
And  God  is  practically  left  out,  except  as  a  very 
last  questionable  consideration,  then,  and  ever 
since,  and  to-day.  Probably  Noah  was  the  butt 
of  gossip  and  ridicule,  quite  possibly  of  scandal 
and  reproach,  year  after  year,  by  the  whole  race ; 


Fellow-Followers  219 

and  he  would  feel  it,  and  feel  it  for  his  family's 
sake.  That  boat  and  its  dreaming  builder  were 
the  standing  joke  of  the  time.  He  was  re- 
garded as  a  fool,  a  fanatic,  a  poor,  unbalanced  en- 
thusiast, building  his  gigantic  boat  on  dry  land! 
Perhaps  some  regretted  that  he  brought  the  cause 
of  religion  into  reproach  by  being  such  an  ex- 
tremist. 

Yet  the  only  thing  he  did  was  to  believe  God's 
word,  and  to  shape  his  conduct  accordingly.  He 
simply  did  as  God  asked.  He  heard  God  cor- 
rectly. His  ears  were  trained  to  hear.  He  did 
what  God  wanted,  regardless  of  what  people 
thought.  That  was  how  he  helped  God  in  His 
need.  The  race  was  saved  through  this  fresh 
start,  else  it  had  burned  out  long  ago.  Following 
meant  a  true  life  lived,  and  faith  in  God  ex- 
pressed in  wood  and  nails,  and  in  good  money 
paid  out,  while  men  met  him  coldly  on  the  road, 
or  jeered. 

Befriending  God. 

Long  years  afterward  there  was  another  man 
who  helped  God  so  decidedly  that  he  became 
known  as  "  the  friend  of  God."  And  the  word 
"  friend "  is  used  this  time  in  the  emergency 
sense.  He  did  the  thing  God  asked  him  to  do, 
and  this  helped  God  in  a  plan  He  was  working 
out  for  the  whole  race.  God  had  to  have  a  man. 
Abraham  was  willing  to  be  the  man.  And  in 
that  he  became  God's  helpful  friend.    The  thing 


220  On  Following  the  Christ 

God  asked  him  to  do  seems  very  simple,  and  yet 
it  was  a  radical  thing  for  this  man  to  do.  He 
was  to  leave  his  father's  family,  and  all  his  kins- 
folk, and  live  a  separated  life,  both  from  them 
and  from  all  others.  It  is  almost  impossible  for 
the  West  to  realize  how  close  and  strong  family 
ties  are  in  the  Orient.  Separation  meant  an  unu- 
sual, sad  break  in  holiest  ties.  God  was  trying  a 
new  step  in  His  fight  against  sin.  He  had  sepa- 
rated the  leader  of  sin  from  all  others.1  He  had 
removed  all  the  race  except  a  seed  of  good.2  Both 
of  these  plans  had  failed,  through  man's  failure. 
Now  a  new,  farther-reaching  plan  is  begun.  A 
man  is  separated  from  all  others,  to  become  the 
seed  of  a  new  nation,  a  faith  nation,  which  should 
be  a  different  people  from  others,  embodying  in 
themselves  God's  ideals  for  all. 

Abraham  is  asked  to  become  a  separated  man 
in  a  peculiar  sense,  separate  outwardly,  separate 
in  his  worship  of  the  true  God,  and  separate  in 
living  a  faith  life.  It  was  to  be  a  life  dependent 
wholly  on  God  regardless  of  outer  circumstance 
or  difficulty.  There  was  a  training  time  of 
twenty-five  years  before  Abraham  was  ready  for 
the  next  step, — the  bringing  of  the  next  in  line 
of  this  new  faith  stock.  Separation,  then  still 
further  separation,  an  open  stand  for  God  in  the 
land  of  strangers,  then  a  series  of  close  personal 
tests,  each  entering  into  the  marrow  of  his  life, — 
this  was  the  training  to  get  the  man  ready  to  be 
a  faith  father  to  his  son,  the  next  in  line  of  a 

xGenesis  iv.  12-16.  2Genesis  vi.  17,  18. 


Fellow-Followers  221 

faith  people.  And  the  hardest  test  of  all  came 
after  the  child  of  faith  had  grown  to  manhood. 
Then  he  became  a  child  of  faith  in  his  own  ex- 
perience, as  well  as  in  his  father's.  Following 
meant  separation.  It  meant  believing  God 
against  the  unlikeliest  circumstances,  against  na- 
ture itself,  hoping  in  the  midst  of  hopelessness. 
Everything  spelled  out  "  hopelessness."  God 
alone  spelled  out  "  hope."  He  took  God  against 
everything  else.  It  meant  going  to  school  to 
God,  until  he  could  be  used  as  God  planned.  And 
Abraham  consented.  He  followed.  He  helped 
God  in  His  need.  He  befriended  God ;  he  became 
His  friend  in  His  need. 

But  every  generation  needs  men.  Each  new 
step  in  the  plan  needs  a  new  man.  In  a  sore 
crisis  of  that  plan,  long  after,  another  man's 
name,  Moses,  is  known  to  us,  only  because  he 
singled  himself  out  as  being  willing  to  let  God  use 
him.  In  his  unconscious  training,  the  training  of 
circumstances  into  which  it  was  natural  to  fit,  he 
was  peculiarly  prepared  for  the  future  task. 
Bred  in  Egypt  as  the  son  of  the  ruler's  household, 
he  received  the  best  school  training  of  his  day, 
with  all  the  peculiar  advantages  of  his  position  in 
the  royal  family. 

Following  meant  more  to  Moses,  in  what  he 
gave  up  of  worldly  advantage,  than  to  any  other 
named  in  the  Bible  record.  Egypt  was  the  world 
empire  of  that  day.  Moses  was  in  the  innermost 
imperial  circles,  and  could  easily  have  become  the 
dominant  spirit  of  the  court,  if  not  the  successor 


222  On  Following  the  Christ 

to  the  Pharaoh's  throne.  But  he  heard  the  call. 
His  mother  helped  train  his  ears.  He  answered 
"  Yes "  to  God,  without  knowing  how  much 
was  involved.  Following  meant  giving  up,  then 
a  long  course  of  training  in  the  university  of 
the  desert,  with  the  sheep  and  the  stars  and — 
God.  It  meant  a  repeated  risking  of  his  life  not 
only  in  his  bold  dealings  with  Pharaoh,  but  after- 
ward with  the  nation-mob,  mob-nation,  whose 
leader,  and  father  and  school-teacher,  and  every- 
thing else,  he  had  to  be  for  forty  years. 
And  it  meant  much  on  the  other  side,  too. 

"  Had  Moses  failed  to  go,  had  God 

Granted  his  prayer,  there  would  have  been 

For  him  no  leadership  to  win; 
No  pillared  fire ;  no  magic  rod, 
No  smiting  of  the  sea ;  no  tears 

Ecstatic,  shed  on  Sinai's  steep; 

No  Nebo,  with  a  God  to  keep 
His  burial ;  only  forty  years 

Of  desert,  watching  with  his  sheep." 


A  Yet  Deeper  Meaning. 

When  we  turn  to  the  leaders  of  the  latter  years 
of  the  Kingdom  time  of  God's  teacher-nation,  the 
prophetic  time,  there  is  one  thing  that  stands  out 
sharply  in  the  men  God  used.  It  was  this,  a 
man's  inner  personal  life  and  experience  were 
made  use  of  to  an  unusual  degree.  It  is  as 
though  the  sacred  inner  life  were  sacrificed.  The 
holy  privacies  were  laid  bare  to  the  public 
gaze.    The  sweets  of  the  inner  holy  of  holies  of 


Fellow-Followers  223 

the  personal  life  were  given  up.  The  people 
were  so  far  God-hardened  that  only  acted  preach- 
ing, lived  messages,  that  took  it  out  of  one's 
very  life,  with  pain  in  the  taking,  had  any 
effect. 

This  is  most  markedly  so  in  the  case  of  Hosea, 
whose  experience  it  seems  almost  if  not  wholly 
impossible  for  us  to  take  in.1  It  is  true  that  the 
Christianized  West  has  conceptions  of  personal 
privacy  to  which  the  East  is  a  stranger.  Yet, 
even  so,  the  way  in  which  these  men  were  asked 
to  yield  up  their  inner  personal  lives,  must  have 
been  a  most  marked  thing  to  these  Orientals. 
For  God  used  it  as  the  one  thing  apparently,  the 
extreme  thing,  to  touch  their  hearts  with  His  ap- 
peal. 

Isaiah  had  just  such  peculiar  experiences.  The 
birth  of  a  son  is  planned  for,  and  told  of  for  the 
purpose  of  making  more  emphatic  the  message 
to  the  dull  -ears  and  slow  heart  of  the  nation.2 
His  two  sons  bore  names  of  strange  meaning,  as 
a  means  of  teaching  truths  that  were  peculiarly 
distasteful  to  the  people.  Isaiah  takes  one  of 
these  strangely  named  sons  as  he  goes  to  deliver 
a  message  to  the  king.  And  the  son  standing  by 
his  father's  side  is  a  reminder  in  his  name  of  a 
disagreeable  truth.3  A  little  later  the  man  is 
actually  required  to  go  about  barefooted,  and 
without  clothing  sufficient  for  conventional  re- 
spectability, and  to  continue  this  for  three  years.4 

^osea  i.  2-9;  iii.  1-3.  2Isaiah  viii.  1-3. 

'Isaiah  vii.  3-17.  *Isaiah  xx.  1-4. 


224  On  Following  the  Christ 

When  we  remember  that  he  was  not  an  erratic 
extremist,  but  a  sober-minded,  fine-grained  gen- 
tleman of  refinement  and  of  a  good  family,  it 
helps  us  to  understand  a  little  how  hard-hearted 
and  stubborn  were  a  people  that  could  be  ap- 
pealed to  only  in  such  a  way. 

And  it  tells  us,  too,  how  utterly  surrendered 
was  the  man  who  was  willing  thus  to  give  up 
his  private  personal  life.  How  much  easier  to 
have  been  simply  an  earnest,  eloquent  preacher, 
with  his  inner  personal  life  lived  free  from  pub- 
lic gaze,  a  thing  sacred  to  himself.  Following 
meant  the  giving  up  of  the  sacred  private  life  to 
a  strangely  marked  degree,  for  God  to  use. 

Even  more  marked  are  the  experiences  that 
Jeremiah  was  asked  and  consented  to  go  through. 
It  would  seem  as  though  the  repeated  conspira- 
cies against  his  life,  the  repeated  imprisonments 
in  vile  dungeons  dangerous  to  health  and  life, 
and  the  shame  of  being  put  in  the  public  stocks 
before  the  rabble,  would  have  been  much  for  God 
to  ask,  and  for  a  man  to  give.  But  there  is  some- 
thing that  goes  much  farther  and  deeper  into  the 
very  marrow  of  his  life  than  these.  He  is  bid- 
den not  to  marry,  not  to  have  a  family  life  of  his 
own.1  And  he  obeyed.  This  was  to  be  so  only 
and  solely  as  a  message  to  the  people.  A  mes- 
sage couched  in  such  startling  language  they 
might  listen  to.  Again  we  must  remember  the 
Oriental  setting  to  appreciate  the  significance  of 
this.     In  the  East  the  unit  of  society  is  not  the 

Jeremiah  xvi.  1-4. 


Fellow-Followers  225 

individual  but  the  family.  A  man's  marriage  is 
planned  for  by  the  family,  as  a  means  of  building 
up  the  family.  To  be  childless  and  especially  son- 
less  was  felt  to  be  peculiarly  unfortunate,  almost 
bordering  on  disgrace. 

This  meant  for  Jeremiah  not  only  the  loss  of 
personal  joys  and  delights,  but  that  his  line 
would  be  broken  off  from  his  father's  family. 
He  would  be  without  heir,  or  future,  in  the  fam- 
ily history.  So  following  meant  going  yet  deeper 
into  the  inner  personal  life,  for  the  sake  of  God's 
plan.  This  giant's  strength  is  revealed  in  noth- 
ing more  than  in  his  tear-wet  laments  over  his 
people.  And  he  gave  all  this  strength  to  follow- 
ing. He  said  "  Yes  "  to  God's  need  and  request, 
though  it  must  have  taken  his  very  life  to  say  it. 

But  Ezekiel  was  asked  to  do  something  even 
beyond  this.  He  was  the  messenger  of  God  to 
the  colony  of  Hebrew  exiles  in  Assyria.  His 
accounts  of  the  visions  of  God  reveal  a  remark- 
able power  of  detailed  description,  and  a  re- 
markably strong  mentality.  Strange  to  say,  these 
people  in  captivity  are  yet  harder  to  reach  than 
were  their  fathers  in  their  native  land.  Yet,  not 
strange,  for  the  human  heart  is  the  same  when  it 
won't  open  to  the  purifying  of  the  upper  cur- 
rents of  air.  Here  the  man  himself  literally  be- 
came the  message.  He  actually  lay  upon  his 
left  side  for  thirteen  months  and  then  on  his 
right  side  for  six  weeks  longer. 

During  all  that  time  he  ate  food  that  was  par- 
ticularly repugnant,  and  it  was  carefully  weighed 


226  On  Following  the  Christ 

out,  and  the  water  as  carefully  measured  out  for 
his  use.  He  had  to  rise,  no  doubt,  for  various 
reasons,  but  the  bulk  of  the  time  for  nearly 
fifteen  months  he  lay  out  where  all  could  see 
him.  His  fellow-exiles,  I  suppose,  looked  and 
wondered,  laughed  and  gossiped  perhaps,  and 
then  as  time  wore  on,  they  thought  and  thought 
more,  and  were  awed  as  they  began  slowly  to 
take  in  the  meaning  of  this  strange  message  of 
God.  Thereafter  Ezekiel  was  the  leader,  to 
whose  house  the  leaders  of  the  colony  came,  and 
to  whose  words  they  intently  listened. 

But  there  was  a  yet  deeper  meaning  to  follow- 
ing than  we  have  found  yet.  It  is  a  meaning  that 
awes  one's  heart  into  amazed  silence.  He  was 
married.  His  wife  is  spoken  of  very  tenderly  as 
"  the  desire  of  thine  eyes."  He  was  told  that 
she  would  be  taken  away  out  of  his  life.  She 
would  die.  That  was  the  great  thing.  Then  he 
was  not  to  mourn  outwardly  for  her;  this  was 
the  second  thing.  He  was  to  be  before  the  people 
as  though  the  greatest  sorrow  of  his  life  had 
not  happened.  Is  it  any  wonder  the  people  came 
astonished  to  know  what  this  meant?  The 
simple  brevity  with  which  he  tells  of  the  occur- 
rence takes  hold  of  one's  heart.  "  So  I  spake 
unto  the  people  in  the  morning;  and  at  even  my 
wife  died;  and  I  did  in  the  morning  as  I  was 
commanded."  1  There  was  no  questioning,  no 
hesitancy  of  action,  but  a  simple,  prompt 
obedience,  even  though  his  heart  was  breaking. 

Ezekiel  xxiv.  15-19. 


Fellow-Followers  227 

This  was  what  God  asked  of  him.  God  needed 
this  in  His  dealings  with  these  people  of  His  in 
whom  His  world-plan  centred.  How  desperate 
must  have  been  the  need  that  called  for  such  an 
experience  as  this !  Ezekiel  said  "  Yes  "  even  to 
this.  Surely  there  was  here  some  of  that  Cal- 
vary meaning,  of  the  secondary  sort,  of  which  we 
have  spoken  together.  Following  meant  not  only 
giving  his  personality  and  life,  but  now  it  meant 
giving  what  must  have  been  more  than  life  itself. 

Through  Fire. 

To  Daniel  following  meant  something  essen- 
tially different.  He  was  not  a  messenger  to  his 
own  people,  nor  their  leader.  He  was  a  messen- 
ger to  the  great  world-rulers  of  his  time,  through 
the  visions  he  interpreted,  and  through  his  un- 
bending faithfulness  and  purity  of  life.  The 
thing  that  stands  out  largest  is  the  life  he  lived, 
a  life  of  simplicity  in  habit,  of  purity  and  consist- 
ency, with  an  unwavering  faith  in  God.  God 
could  use  him  to  speak  to  the  great  emperors. 
So  he  helped  God  to  get  His  message  to  men  so 
hard  to  reach  through  a  human  channel. 

Following  meant  a  pure  life.  It  was  Daniel's 
insistence  on  being  pure  and  true  that  shut  him 
up  with  the  wild  beasts.  And  it  was  through  his 
unflinching  fidelity  and  persistence  that  God 
could  send  His  message  anew,  in  the  most  public 
manner,  out  to  all  the  millions  of  that  great 
world-empire.    Following  meant  to  a  marked  de- 


228  On  Following  the  Christ 

gree  a  pure  life  as  the  basis  of  the  service  ren- 
dered. It  proved  to  mean  a  lions'  den,  and 
the  power  of  God  overcoming  the  instincts  of 
ravenous  beasts.  But  clear  beyond  these  it  meant 
that  God  could  reach  His  world  with  His  message 
to  an  unusual  extent. 

Daniel's  three  companions  helped  God  by 
means  of  a  most  thrilling  experience,  a  really 
terrible  experience.  God  had  been  pleading  with 
the  great  Nebuchadnezzar  through  Daniel's  mes- 
sage. Now  He  wants  to  speak  again  in  a  way 
that  will  compel  attention.  He  needs  these  three 
young  men.  They  consent  to  be  His  messen- 
gers. It  meant  going  through  a  terrible  ordeal. 
They  simply  remained  true  in  their  personal  de- 
votion to  God.  This  was  the  thing  God  needed, 
and  used.  Everything  of  use  to  God  roots  down 
in  the  life.  The  personal  plea  of  the  great  king, 
and  the  prospect  of  a  horrible  death  fail  alike 
to  move  them.  They  probably  had  quite  resigned 
themselves  to  the  fate  of  being  burned  alive  for 
the  truth.  But  God  had  a  different  purpose. 
He  was  thinking  about  this  ruler  with  whom  He 
dealt  so  personally  and  unusually,  time  and  again. 

The  three  men,  walking  quietly  up  and  down 
in  the  seven-times  heated  furnace  in  company 
with  a  glorious  looking  person  "  like  a  son  of  the 
gods  " — this  was  the  message  God  wanted  spoken 
to  the  ruler  He  was  pleading  with.  His  strangely 
marvellous  power,  and  His  personal  regard  for 
His  faithful  followers — this  was  what  God  was 
trying  to  say  to  Nebuchadnezzar.    He  asked  the 


Fellow-Followers  229 

use  of  these  three  young  men.  Their  personal 
loyalty  to  Himself  even  unto  death — this  was 
what  He  wanted.  Through  this  He  reached  the 
heart  of  the  man  He  was  after. 

The  experience  of  these  men  is  an  intensely 
interesting  study.  It  was  a  fearful  ordeal  that 
they  went  through.  Yet  it  was  wholly  mental, 
and  of  the  spirit.  They  suffered  no  pain  of 
body,  nor  inconvenience.  The  fire  only  made 
them  free,  burned  up  the  bonds  that  held  them. 
It  took  great  strength  of  will,  of  decision,  to  stay 
steady  through  all  the  fearful  test.  Yet  nothing 
happened  to  their  bodies  except  to  help  them. 
God  took  care  of  that.  They  gave  Him  what  He 
asked.  He  gave  them  more  than  they  eypected. 
They  probably  expected  death  and  were  willing. 
God  had  a  deeper  plan  He  was  working  out. 
How  glad  they  must  have  been  that  they  followed 
fully,  that  they  didn't  disappoint  God. 

Following  meant  simply  being  true,  even 
though  the  road  led  through  a  furnace.  God 
would  attend  to  the  furnace.  Their  part  was 
simply  to  follow  where  He  led.  And  our  God 
is  needing  just  such  acted  messages  to-day.  He 
is  longing  for  just  such  opportunities  to  reveal 
His  power  and  love,  not  merely  to  us,  but  through 
us  to  His  world. 

Let  us  take  time  for  one  more  of  these  faithful 
followers.  This  time  it  is  a  young  woman.  It 
is  at  the  most  critical  juncture  of  God's  plan, 
thus  far.  He  needed  a  woman  whom  He  could 
use  to  bring  His  Son,  and  could  use  further  to 


230  On  Following  the  Christ 

mother  that  Son's  early  years.  All  unconsciously 
Mary  of  Nazareth  and  of  Bethlehem  was  fitting 
into  His  plan  in  her  life,  her  simple,  pure,  godly, 
personal  life.  We  can  understand  that  God 
wooed  her  especially  to  such  a  life  of  heart  de- 
votion as  a  preparation  for  the  after  part.  And 
she  said  "  Yes  "  to  all  His  wooings,  never  sus- 
pecting what  was  to  come  of  it.  You  never 
know  how  much  a  simple  "  Yes  "  to  God  may 
mean,  or  a  "  No."  You  never  know  how  much  of 
service  may  grow  out  of  the  true  life.  Yet  all 
true  service  is  something  coming  out  of  the  life. 

Then  the  plan  of  God  was  made  known  to  her, 
— the  marvellous  plan,  yet  so  simple  to  Him. 
And  again  she  said  a  simple,  awed  "  Yes."  She 
waits  only  long  enough  to  ask  the  natural, 
woman's  question  as  to  method.  There  was  no 
questioning  of  God's  power,  what  He  could  do, 
and  would  do.  It  came  to  mean  hurting  sus- 
picion, peculiarly  hurting  to  as  pure  and  gentle 
a  soul  as  she.  Apparently  this  was  unavoidable. 
It  speaks  volumes  for  her  openness  of  both 
mind  and  heart  to  God,  that  she  instantly  took  in 
Gabriel's  meaning,  and  could  take  it  in  that  such 
an  unprecedented  thing  was  possible.  It  would 
have  saved  her  the  cruel  suspicion  if  Joseph  had 
been  told  beforehand,  but  the  whole  probability  is 
that  he  could  not  have  taken  it  in  that  such  a 
thing  was  possible. 

Following  meant  the  glad  "  Yes  "  to  the  early 
wooing  up  to  a  pure  devoted  life.  It  meant  say- 
ing a  further  "  Yes  "  to  the  plan  of  God  even 


Fellow-Followers  231 

though  something  so  unusual,  and  with  it  the 
misunderstanding  and  cruel  suspicion,  on  the 
one  point  most  sensitive  to  a  woman,  and  by  the 
one  nearest  her.  But  she  said  "  Yes  "  both  times. 
She  let  God  have  the  use  of  her  life  for  His  plan. 
That  was  all  He  asked.  That  is  all  He  asks. 
But  that  is  what  He  asks. 

These  are  a  few  of  the  glorious  company  of 
followers,  the  goodly  fellowship  of  those  who 
have  helped  God  in  His  passionate  plan 
for  His  world,  the  noble  army  of  willing  ones. 
But  the  number  is  incomplete.  The  plan  is  not 
yet  fully  worked  out.  The  need  is  not  yet 
wholly  met.  It  was  never  more  urgent.  To-day 
the  insistent  voice  still  comes  as  of  old,  asking 
you  and  me  to  follow. 

And  no  one  can  tell  how  much  his  following 
may  mean  to  God  in  reaching  His  world. 


THE  GLORY  OF  THE  GOAL,— 
FACE  TO  FACE 

With  You  Always" 


Have  you  ever  seen  Christ?  No,  I  don't  mean 
have  you  been  to  some  uplifting  convention,  and 
been  tremendously  caught  by  some  talented, 
earnest  speaker,  and  been  swayed  by  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  hour  and  place,  and  felt  that  all 
was  not  just  as  it  should  be  with  you ;  and  then 
you  prayed  more,  and  made  some  new  resolves,  or 
re-made  some  old  ones,  and  left  off  some  things, 
and  put  on  some  things;  I  don't  mean  that,  but 
this — have  you  ever  seen  Christ? 

No,  of  course,  you  don't  see  Him  with  these 
outer  eyes.  Well,  then  just  what  do  I  mean 
practically?  This — has  there  come  to  you  a  real 
sense  of  Himself?  of  His  presence?  of  the  tre- 
mendous plea  His  presence  makes?  and,  possi- 
bly, you  don't  know  just  how  to  answer.  You 
say,  "  I'm  not  just  sure,"  or  "  How  can  I  know?  " 
Well,  you'll  never  say  it  that  way,  nor  ask  that 
question  again  after  the  experience  has  come. 

May  I  tell  you  a  little  bit  about  it?    Yet,  mark 

you,   only   "  a  little  bit."     You   can  never   tell 

another  one  what  it  means  to  see  Him.     When 

once  the  sight  has  come,  every  word  you  utter 

232 


The  Glory  of  the  Goal  233 

about  it,  or  Him,  seems  so  lame  and  weak  that 
you  despair  of  ever  being  able  to  let  out  at  your 
lips  what  has  gotten  into  you.  But  let  me  try, 
even  if  lamely,  in  the  eager  yearning  that  it 
may  help  you  know  if,  thus  far,  you  have  missed 
seeing  Him,  and  maybe — so  much  better — help 
you  to  see  Him.  For  until  you  have — well, 
nothing,  absolutely  nothing,  is  worth  while. 

When  you  see  Him  there  comes  such  a  sense  of 
His  purity  that,  instantly,  you  are  down  on  your 
face  in  utter  despair,  because  of  your  own  self — 
your  impurity;  your  lack  of  purity;  the  sharp 
contrast  between  Him  and  you.  You  feel  that 
young  Isaiah's  outcry  in  the  temple  that  morning 
is  wholly  inadequate.  "  Unclean  lips/'  is  it? 
Why,  the  whole  thing,  from  innermost  recesses 
clear  through  and  out,  is  unclean.  Then  it 
dawns  upon  you  that  this  is  really  what  Isaiah  is 
feeling  and  trying  to  express  in  his  "  woe  "and 
"  undone." ' 

And  that  vivid  sense  of  contrast  between  Him 
and  you  never  grows  less,  but  more  acute  and 
deeper.  Even  when  you  come  to  know  Him 
better,  and  the  sweet  peace  comes  with  its  un- 
tenable balm  to  your  spirit,  yet  you  are  always 
conscious  of  the  contrast,  and  you  know  that 
you  are  not  pure ;  only  He  is ;  and  all  you  can  do 
is  to  keep  under  the  cleansing  stream  of  His 
blood,  very  low  down. 

"Never  higher  than  His  pierced  feet, 
Never  farther  than  His  bleeding  side." 


234  On  Following  the  Christ 

With  that  comes  such  a  sense  of  Himself,  of 
His — what  word  can  tell  it? — His  glory, — which 
means  simply  His  character,  what  He  is  in 
Himself — that  again  words  can  never  tell  out 
the  sense  of  your  own  littleness;  no,  that  is  not 
the  word,  your  own  nothingness.  And  now  you 
recall,  with  an  inner  shrinking,  how  well  you  have 
thought  of  yourself,  how  much  you  have  talked 
about  yourself  and  your  view  of  things,  perhaps 
in  the  language  of  a  properly  phrased  humility. 
Now  you  are  dumb.  His  presence  dumbs  you. 
You  begin  to  wonder  at  the  strange  self-confi- 
dence and  self-complacence  that  have  been  so 
common  even  in  your  holiest  moments  and  ex- 
periences. It  seems,  in  this  Presence,  as  though 
you  could  never  open  your  lips  again — except  to 
speak  of  Him. 

Then  your  eyes  are  drawn  more  intently  to 
His  person, — His  face,  His  wounds.  The  scars 
where  the  thorns  tore  His  great,  patient  face; 
the  grief-whitened  hair,  draped  above  those  deep, 
tender,  unspeakable  eyes;  that  strangely  rough 
place  in  the  palm  so  lovingly  outstretched;  the 
spear-scar,  the  nail-marks  in  those  feet  coming 
over  to  you, — these  grip  you.  Their  meaning 
begins  to  come.  There's  cleansing;  yes,  blessed 
fact!  there's  cleansing  from  this  horrid  impurity 
whose  stain  you  are  so  conscious  of.  Yet,  what 
it  cost  Him!  What  my  impurity  forced  upon 
Him!  Yes,  cleansed;  blessed  Jesus!  What  a 
relief  to  be  cleansed !  Yet  I  must  stay  under  the 
stream;  only  so  can  the  sense  of  relief  be  con- 


The  Glory  of  the  Goal  235 

tinual.  And  I  must  stay  down  on  my  face  at 
His  feet.  It  is  the  only  place  for  such  as  I  dis- 
cover myself  to  be.  Yet  what  grace  to  let  me 
stay  at  His  feet! 

Have  you  seen  Christ ?  This  is  what  begins  to 
come  when  you  have — His  purity,  your  con- 
trasted lack ;  His  glorious  self,  your  own  nothing- 
ness in  yourself ;  His  suffering — the  price  of  your 
cleansing.  This  is  only  a  beginning,  yet  a  begin- 
ning that  comes  to  be  the  continuous  thing. 

Closer  Acquaintance. 

After  a  little,  as  you  are  sitting  still  in  His 
presence,  and  have  become  a  bit  quieter  after  that 
flush  of  first  emotions  at  seeing  Him,  you  begin 
to  be  caught  all  anew  with  how  lovable  He  is. 
This  takes  great  hold  of  you.  I  overheard  a  once- 
drunken,  now  thoroughly  changed  man,  up  in 
Scotland,' as  he  was  fairly  pouring  out  his  heart 
in  prayer  in  his  sweet,  broad  Scotch, — "  Once 
Thou  didst  have  no  form  or  comeliness  to  me, 
but  now  " — and  it  seemed  as  if  all  the  pent-up 
feelings  within  rushed  at  once  to  flood-tide — 
"  now  Thou  art  the  chiefest  among  ten  thousand, 
and  the  One  altogether  lovely."  And  the  high- 
water  mark  of  the  flood  was  touched  on  "  chief- 
est "  and  "  altogether." 

That  first  look  made  you  think  mostly  of  your- 
self— an  inner  loathing.  Now  you  think  of  Him. 
He  is  so  lovable,  so  true  and  tender,  and  patient 
and  pure;  again  your  language  gives  out,  and 


236  On  Following  the  Christ 

you  feel  better  content  just  to  look  without  try- 
ing to  use  words.  They're  such  poor  things 
when  it  comes  to  telling  about  Him.  He  is  so 
much  more  than  anything  that  can  be  said  about 
Him.  His  will  is  so  wise  and  thoughtful  and  far- 
reaching  and  loving.  Strange  how  stupid  you 
have  been  in  insisting  so  strenuously  and  blindly 
on  having  your  own  way.  His  plan,  His  thought 
about  everything  concerning  you,  is  so  superb. 
And  He  asks  me  to  be  His  follower.  What  joy ! 
What  if  the  way  be  a  bit  rough;  it's  following 
Him;  that's  enough.  He  calls  me  to  be  His  per- 
sonal friend.  I  can  hardly  take  it  in, — His 
friend?  Yes,  that's  His  own  word.  Well,  let 
any  thorns  tear  because  of  the  narrowing  of  the 
road;  I'm  His  friend,  man,  do  you  hear?  His 
friend, — do  you  get  hold  of  that  word?  What 
can  any  thorn  thing  do  against  that ! 

"  We  "  may  go  hand  in  hand  now, — His  is 
pierced ;  I  feel  the  scar  where  our  hands  touch. 
But  we're  together  at  last,  the  thing  He  has  been 
working  for.  I  can  feel  His  presence.  I  can 
hear  the  low  music  of  His  voice  within.  Thorns 
don't  count  here.  Oh,  yes,  I  feel  them;  they 
haven't  lost  their  power  to  slash  and  sting, — but 
— with  Him  so  close  alongside! — Wondrous 
Christ,  here  I  am  at  Thy  feet,  Thy  glad  slave 
forever.  I'm  wholly  Thine.  It's  my  own  choice. 
I'll  never  go  any  other  way  by  Thy  grace.  This 
is  the  second  bit  that  comes,  the  glad  surrender 
of  life  to  His  mastery.  Do  you  know  about  this  ? 
You  will,  when  you've  seen  Christ. 


The  Glory  of  the  Goal  237 

Then  you  come  to  know,  without  being  able  to 
tell  just  how,  that  He  is  not  only  zuith  you,  but 
within  you.  At  first  His  presence  may  have 
seemed  as  something  outside  yourself.  You 
were  looking  away  at  some  One  who  was  looking 
at  you.  And  His  look  at  you  broke  your  heart, 
and  made  your  will,  once  so  strangely  strong  in 
itself,  now  as  strangely  pliable  to  His  as  only  a 
strong  will  can  be.  But  now  He  is  living  within 
you.  You  may  not  be  clear  just  how  the  change 
came.  But  you  do  know  that  there's  a  something 
which  you  come  to  know  is  a  some  One,  who 
is  within.  His  presence  is  peace  past  understand- 
ing, but  not  past  appreciation.  There's  a  longing 
for  His  Word,  a  desire  to  talk  with  Him  even 
when  you  don't  want  to  ask  for  something,  a 
deep  heart-cry  for  purity,  a  burning  within  to 
please  Him.  These  all  seem  to  come  from  Him, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  be  satisfied  by  Himself, 
even  while  -they  remain  and  increase. 

And  yet  more,  while  this  Presence  within 
seems  so  quietly  real  and .  exquisitely  peace- 
bringing,  there  is  still  the  outer  presence,  the 
One  whose  presence  it  was  at  the  first  that 
brought  all  this  change.  Two  presences,  one 
above,  enthroned  there;  one  within,  enthroned 
there;  yet  they  seem  the  same,  as  though  one 
personality  with  two  presences  had  come  into 
your  consciousness.  There's  the  Lord  Jesus 
above  at  the  Father's  right  hand ;  here's  the  Holy 
Spirit  within  at  my  right  hand,1  yet  in  practical 
^salm  xvi.  8. 


238  On  Following  the  Christ 

effect  they  are  as  one,  while  one's  thought  is 
always  directed  to  the  Lord  Jesus  both  within 
and  above. 

The  Presence  within  makes  you  think  wholly 
of  the  Presence  above,  who  yet  seems  also  to  be 
within.  You  are  getting  a  taste  of  the  practical 
meaning  of  the  Trinity  now,  three  that  in  effect 
are  as  one.  But  you  are  too  much  taken  up  with 
the  gladness  of  it  to  think  about  the  metaphysics 
of  it.  He — whether  within,  or  above,  or  both — 
is  so  much  more  than  words.  The  experience  is 
so  much  more  than  any  explanation.  You  are 
not  concerned  about  the  explanation  so  long  as 
you  can  have  the  sweet  experience. 

The  Final  Goal. 

This  is  the  third  bit  that  comes  when  you've 
seen  Christ,  the  gracious  indwelling  of  the  Lord 
Jesus'  other  self,  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  if  you 
have  seen  Him,  you  are  probably  not  counting 
steps  nor  analyzing  processes,  but  just  singing 
a  bit  of  joyous  praise  to  Him. 

Then  there's  the  outer  turn;  He  does  that.  He 
draws  you  to  Himself,  and  yet  at  the  same  time 
sends  you  away — no,  not  from  Him — for  Him, 
out  to  the  others  He  hungers  after,  even  as  after 
you.  Up,  in,  out, — so  He  draws  and  directs,  up 
to  Himself,  in  by  contrast  to  one's  self  with  a 
holding  hard  to  Him  while  looking  within,  then  a 
sending  out  to  the  others.  He  kindles  a  fire,  He 
is  a  fire,  drawing,  burning,  cleansing,  warming, 


The  Glory  of  the  Goal  239 

then  driving  you  forth,  and  doing  all  at  the  same 
time.  Wondrous  fine,  this  fire  of  love — of  His 
heart — of  Himself.  The  common  word  for  this 
is  "  service."  The  word  doesn't  matter  much. 
Service  is  a  good  word.  But  the  thing  that  comes 
seems  so  much  more  than  this  word  seems  to 
contain. 

That  hand  that  was  pierced,  which  has  been 
to  you  so  tender  and  warm,  and  in  its  clasp  so 
expressive  of  this  wondrous  friendship — that 
hand  now  leads  you  where  you  had  not  thought 
of  going.  And  you  go, — aghast  almost  at  first 
at  the  radical  change  in  your  carefully  worked 
out  plans,  losing  your  breath  for  a  moment  as 
you  wonder  what  "  they "  will  think  (though 
"  they  "  never  will  understand,  unless — ah,  yes, 
unless  they  see  Him).  That  hand  reaches  in 
where  your  life  touches  others,  in  the  family,  the 
business  circle,  the  social  circle,  and  moulds  you 
over  anewin  the  old  relationships,  not  taking  you 
away  from  them  (though  there  may  be  some 
partings),  but  making  you  a  new  presence  in  the 
midst  of  them. 

That  hand  reaches  into  your  pocket,  and  your 
safety-deposit  box,  in  among  the  title  papers  and 
securities,  and  shakes  off  the  dust  and  rust,  and 
sends  them  out  on  an  errand  after  the  others. 
That  fire — Himself — draws  all  into  the  smelting- 
pot.  Its  alchemy  transmutes  possessions  into 
lives,  redeemed,  sweetened,  Jesus-touched,  Christ- 
renewed  lives,  made  like  Himself.  And  the 
sweet  music  of  their  new  lives  comes  up  into  His 


240  On  Following  the  Christ 

gladdened  ears,  and  a  few  of  the  strains  come  to 
cheer  you.  One  may  have  at  first  a  strange  feel- 
ing of  bareness,  for  things  that  we've  always 
clung  to  as  essential  have  gone  out  from  us  to 
others.  But  with  the  outgoing  of  things  has 
come  an  incoming  of  Himself,  in  greater  abun- 
dance than  we  dreamed  possible.  He,  within, 
completely  overbalances  what  He  has  sent  out 
from  us  into  use.    He — He  is  everything. 

The  usual  word  for  all  this  is  "  service,"  a 
blessed  word.  Yet  service  seems  to  suggest 
your  doing  something  for  Him  among  others. 
This  is  quite  different.  It  is  His  doing  some- 
thing with  you  for  others.  The  thing  itself  is 
so  much  more  than  any  word.  Christ  is  so  much 
more  than  anything  you  say  about  Him.  The 
truth  is  always  less  than  Himself.  But  one 
never  understands  how  much  that  means  till  he 
has  seen  Christ.  Have  you  seen  Christ?  Then 
others  shall  see  Him,  too,  in  you,  and  through 
you. 

This  is  the  glory  of  the  goal — face  to  face  with 
Himself.  It  begins  now.  It  is  a  very  real 
thing.  This  is  a  bit  of  the  meaning  of  that  moun- 
tain beatitude,  "  the  pure  in  heart  .  .  .  shall  see 
God."  Yet  only  he  who  sees  understands  what 
seeing  means.  The  subtle  intensity  of  God's 
presence  cannot  be  explained,  only  understood  by 
the  purified  in  heart.     Only  the  opened  eyes  see. 

But  this  is  only  a  beginning.  There  will  be  the 
far  greater  glory  of  the  final  goal,  as  we  come 
into   His   immediate  presence,   literally   face  to 


The  Glory  of  the  Goal  241 

face.  That  may  be  when  we  are  called  away 
from  the  lower  road  up  to  the  higher  reaches, 
above  the  clouds  and  the  blue,  the  glory-reaches, 
up  where  He  now  sits.  It  may  be  by  that 
goal  coming  nearer,  by  Himself  actually  com- 
ing on  the  clouds  in  great  glory,  for  His  own  and 
for  the  next  chapter  in  His  great  world-plan. 
Then  we  shall  be  caught  up  into  His  presence. 
Then  we  shall  be  fully  like  Him,  for  we  shall  see 
Him  as  He  is. 

And  we  shall  be  sharers  in  His  glory,  in  the 
Kingdom  time  of  glad  earth  service.  But  we 
shall  be  thinking  only  of  Himself — face  to  face. 


PRINTED  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF   AMERICA 


Date  Due 

*     .  ■          j 

41 1  m 

&  8     40 

,           /*" 

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: 

., 

JY  11  '49 

ftP  16'54 

<§) 

